Origins
by Nena Camadera
Summary: Urd's breath caught in her throat and the youth fell back with a start. "Nidhogg?" She squeaked, staring at the well with large violet eyes before turning her gaze to the elder. "Was that Nidhogg?"
1. In Which We First Met

Origins

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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The hallway echoed with the _slap slap slap _of sandaled feet hitting the obsidian floor. The corridor was empty, save for the two owners of the sandals. They walked side by side, and while one walked at an easy gait, the smaller of the two taking two steps for every one of her older companion.

The taller of the two glanced down at the smaller one, a young girl who couldn't have been more then four or five years in age. Her hair was cropped short, the silver strands of hair falling just past the child's earlobes. Violet eyes were set in a determined bronze face, the child's lips drawn together in a thin line. A single, triangular sigil rested in the center of her forehead, two matching ones under her uncharacteristically serious eyes. No doubt, her mind was filled with thoughts of the events that awaited her, and the woman took pride in the fact that she could sense no fear from the child.

The child was dressed in a rather extravagant outfit, consisting of a highly decorated shirt and vest that seemed to be made of something softer then velvet, yet seemed to flow like silk over the girl's small frame. It was accompanied by matching pants, the loose, baggy legs covered in chaotic swirls of purple and black. A pair of black sandals made of an unknown wood decked her feet, and the whole outfit was topped off with a black cape held together by an ornate clasp. Due to its size, it seemed to dwarf the child's already small form.

The woman at her side wore a matching cloak-one that seemed to be made of the feathers of some unknown beast. The creature the feathers had originally belonged to, however, would more then likely horrify the various deities that resided in heaven. Not that the gods would be able to tell their true origin. The feathers of the cloak had been dyed a blue-black that held a sheen in the artificial lighting of the hallway that made them unrecognizable from what they once were.

Beneath the cloak, if one was quick, a person might catch a brief glimpse of the revealing gown the woman wore; one comprised of various dark blues and blacks, highlighted by a golden etching that assaulted the outfit like lightning. Like the child she walked beside, her feet were covered in dark sandals of a foreign material.

The two were of obvious relation to each other. Even the casual observer could guess that the duo were more than likely Mother and Daughter. The Mother shared her child's platinum hair, though where her daughter's was cropped short, hers fell behind her in various long strands, all of which were kept out of her face by an ornate head dress. Matching violet eyes held a level of power that had yet to be obtained by the child at her side, and her flesh was several shades darker then her daughter's own. The markings that adorned her features were different from her child's as well: a six pointed starburst on her forehead accompanied by two similar five pointed starbursts under her eyes.

If not for these small differences and other, more subtle distinctive traits, the child could have easily passed as a small clone of her mother.

The woman spoke, her eyes gazing down at the child with a sparkle of amusement. "Well, Dearheart? Are you ready?"

The little girl looked up at the woman, who seemed to tower of her like a giant. She nodded solemnly, her hands curling into small fists at her side.

The woman chuckled quietly. "Little Urd, there's no reason to take this so seriously. You need to learn to enjoy life more. Relax."

The child, Urd, frowned, though the woman was pleased to note an easing in the child's shoulders as she fought to take the adult's advice. "But…you said this thing is important. I don't wanna mess it up for you."

Hild graced her daughter with a toothy smile, registering the small ounce of concern that lay buried within the child's eyes. It was almost touching to think that her daughter thought she held such an impact on the conference the duo was attending. She rested a bejeweled hand on one slim shoulder. "Now, now. There's nothing to worry about. Simply remember what I told you and everything will be fine."

The child's brows drew together as she recalled her mother's words from earlier that morning. "'Show no fear', right?" She asked, the frown lightening into a small smile at her mother's nod of confirmation.

"And why is that?"

"Um…because it would look weak if the daughter of the Daimakaicho looked scared in front of a bunch of Valkyries and Angel Slayers, right?" Another nod from her mother.

They came to a halt in front of a pair of overly large doors, various runes and patterns running across the two surfaces. Behind the door, the magical taint of various magical beings both divine and damned wafted to Urd's senses. "Why do we have to do this again?" She asked, puzzled once more at the intentions behind such an odd meeting, despite the fact that Hild had explained it to her several times before.

It was an endearing trait, one Hild compared to Urd's father whenever it reared its head. The kid sure as hell didn't get it from her. "_You _don't have to do anything Urd. You're only with me for appearances sake. _I_, on the other hand, have to meet with a bunch of pissy old Valkyries and Slayers in the hopes of creating something of a…treaty, if you will. It's more for soothing ruffled feathers and bruised prides then anything else, but the people within that room still find it important."

It had been the Almighty's idea, really. Bring together two retired sides that had once been trying to slaughter one another on the battlefield and try to make amends in the hopes of ending any further hostility between the two factions. Looking back, it was probably one of His lesser well thought out decisions.

_Not that He cares. _Hild thought to herself, torn between the gloom of a no doubt boring event and the thrill of having two groups-one of which she lead-locked in a room together with the possibility of mayhem resting on the shoulders of any who entered. _After all, _He's_ not attending the damned thing._ Leave it to the Almighty to come up with a _brilliant _plan and then fail to follow through with it. Hild thought He was simply trying to avoid her.

"Oh." Urd's voice returned the Daimakaicho to the present, and the woman blinked sharp violet eyes before bringing her attention back around to her daughter.

"Does that help explain things to you, Little One?"

This time Urd's nod was more enthusiastic, and Hild was glad to see a small, excited flicker in her daughter's eyes. That was more like the child she'd been rearing. Seriousness didn't suit her. "Alright then. Are you ready to greet the others?"

Urd straightened from where she stood next to Hild, jutting her chin outwards with pride as she looked back at the two large doors. "Yeah."

"Then by all means, let's not keep our guests waiting any longer."

As though waiting for those exact words, the double doors slowly began to part, cracking open with a low groan and exposing the interior to mother and daughter. The room was large, a grand ballroom whose ceiling seemed to stretch upwards for all eternity. Crystalline lights seemed to be scattered at various locations in a fashion so random it bordered on chaotic.

The room was filled with people, and the air was heavy with an almost nervous tension, one that only seemed to grow as Hild and Urd entered the room. As the twin set doors closed behind them, the duo looked around. Urd's eyes were wide, open and curious for all the world to see. Hild's gaze seemed to be the exact opposite, the Daimakaicho seeming to expand all her senses, searching the room with more then just her guarded eyes as she sought out the familiar auras of her men.

While nothing but unfamiliar faces seemed to stare menacingly at Urd, Hild found herself easily recognizing her Slayers from the Valkyries, and as the two passed through the large crowd, Hild caught more then one demon bow his head in respectful greetings to her and her offspring.

She sensed more then saw Urd's stiff posture at her side, and casually pressed a hand to the small of the child's back. Her touch was like magic, and she felt the tension drain away from her daughter's body, the child taking strength in her mother's presence. _Not that I can blame her. _Hild thought. _It isn't as though she knows anyone in this room. There are nothing but unfriendly faces scrutinizing her every move here, and she knows it. The very fact that she hasn't broken down yet is a true testament of her willpower._ A surge of pride raced up Hild's spine, and her smile was one of content. _That's my girl._

The woman removed her hand from her daughter's back, sending the child an approving look when Urd didn't falter in her step. Ahead of them, the crowd of demons and goddesses parted, revealing a somewhat raised table at the head of the room. The table was filled with various people, both goddess and demon, and would have been full save for the two empty seats that gave the sitter a full and complete view of the chamber. The two made their way to the seats, Hild's hand placing itself once more on Urd's back and guiding the young child to the left-most one, positioning the child between her mother on her right and an unfamiliar demon on her left.

As Urd moved to sit, Hild remained standing behind her chair, and the dull roar that had permeated the room since the two had entered slowly died down to silence, everyone turning their attention to the Daimakaicho as she prepared to speak. Urd quickly tuned her mother out. Whatever she had to say was for the goddesses and demons in the room, not for her.

"…All know why we are here…" Yep, boring already. The child sighed quietly to herself, her violet eyes moving to the various men and woman who sat with her at the table. It was easy, she found, to tell who was demon from who was god. Mostly due to the fact that both Angel Slayers and Valkyries were comprised completely of one gender.

She stared at the people surrounding her, curiously glancing at the various insignia that aligned the faces of both demon and goddess. Their attention no doubt drawn to Hild, Urd openly stared at the markings, making a game of comparing the red to the blue and seeing who shared the markings most similar in design.

She was in the middle of comparing the marking of the demon on her left to that with the goddess across from her when the man shifted his gaze towards her own, looking away from Hild and regarding her with sharp red eyes, the pupils slit like those of a cat, or perhaps a snake.

The eyes narrowed ever so slightly at her, as though demanding to know what she found so interesting about him before turning away, his attention drawn once more to her mother. Urd looked down at the table, fighting to contain the blush of embarrassment that was surely trying to align her cheeks at that moment. She hadn't meant to be caught.

"…at we might bring such hostilities to an end…" Her mother's voice trailed on, and as Urd regained control of her emotions, she lifted her gaze from the table. Not wanting to be caught staring by the demon next to her again, she shifted her gaze from the people around her to those in the crowd. Tables or various lengths were positioned throughout the room, and while many had preferred to stand, others had chosen to sit, and various deities occupied the chairs around the tables.

Once more, Urd quickly found herself at boredom's edge, and she quickly went back to her little game. That demon over there by the exit had rectangular marking that differed only a little from that goddess leaning against a wall. The goddess who looked like she was trying to hide in the corner had a circular insignia on her cheeks that was almost exactly like the cheeky markings on one of the demons standing near the center of the room. And that demon-

She paused in her game. Someone was staring at her. Eyes narrowing ever so slightly, she slowly scanned the faces she'd gone over, her face becoming a mask of concentration as she sought out the eyes that she had swept over. Where were they? She knew she'd seen them, so…

A pair of crimson eyes met her violet eyes.

Urd's eyes widened in surprise. The owner of the eyes was young-too young to be either a Valkyrie or an Angel Slayer, though the two red triangular markings under each of the girl's eyes did at least clarify what she might one day become. Urd blinked. The girl was sitting at one of the tables to the back, no doubt in an effort to keep the young demon out of anything that could cause problems between negotiations. She didn't appear to be any older then Urd.

Perhaps seeing the surprise in Urd's face, perhaps simply growing tired of Urd's scrutiny, the little girl's face tightened into a frown, and her stare shifted into a glare. Urd, having found someone closer to her own age and no where _near _as intimidating as the other demon with the red eyes, glared back, scowling at the blonde demon.

The two held their respectable glares for several long minutes, neither appearing to notice Hild's speech coming to an end, the Daimakaicho finally sitting down beside her daughter and falling into a conversation with the Valkyrie at her right.

Her speech done, the room's various occupants returned to their own activities, and it was around this time that the demon sitting next to the unknown child took notice of the glaring contest. With a grunt of dissatisfaction, he lightly cuffed the child on the back of the head. The girl winced in pain, her hands moving to cover the assaulted spot on her head as she dropped her gaze, turning instead to glare at the older demon at her side.

The glare broken, Urd leaned back in her chair, a victorious smile coming over her features. She didn't know who the girl was, but for the moment, it didn't matter. She won, if nothing else then by default. Maybe later Urd could find out who the kid was.

While Urd had gone about her glaring contest with the other child, Hild had been having her own 'fun'. The Valkyrie she was sitting next to, a woman with raven black hair and angry red eyes, was currently fuming at her.

"You _dare_ wear _that _in my presence!" Badb Catha hissed, her voice rough and harsh. Her slender hands were curled into tight fists, and her face was curled into an angry snarl. The woman had been in a state of seething rage upon first glancing at Hild when the Daimakaicho had first entered, and it had only grown throughout Hild's speech.

The Daimakaicho arched a slender, platinum eyebrow. Elbows resting on the table, the woman folded her hands together before resting her chin on the interlocked digits. "Do I dare wear _what_ in your presence, Lady Catha?" She asked, for all the world an innocent woman. Yet despite her light tone, the Daimakaicho's eyes were as hard as the gem that shared its color, and they glinted cruelly in the artificial lighting of the room.

If the Valkyrie Commander was in any way intimidated by Hild's gaze, she hid it well. Badb Catha's face darkened with rage. "You know very well what I mean, Daimakaicho." She growled out, pointing an accusing finger at the dark woman. "That _cloak_…"

Around the table, everyone excluding Urd paused in what they were doing to observe the conversation between the two woman. The table fell silent, the atmosphere growing tense as the two generals spoke. Hild smiled. It looked more like a tiger's snarl then an actual smile. "Oh? Do you like it? If you want, I can have one made special for you, Lady Catha." For all her words were polite, it was not hard to detect the ice behind them. The woman ran her fingers through the dyed feathers of her cloak in an almost affectionate manner.

The action seemed to only further enrage to Valkyrie, as the black-haired woman slammed her hands down on the table, moving to stand. Around her, the Valkyries who had accompanied their commanding officer to the table moved instinctively for weapons they didn't have. Likewise, the demons of Hild's legion mirrored the action, their faces flashing with various emotions, ranging from disappointment to anger to excitement when they rose to stand, grasping for non-existent weapons.

Urd, having just one her staring contest, was startled out of her feelings of victory by the sudden actions of everyone around her, and the child quickly straightened in her seat, looking from Slayer to Valkyrie to her mother in a mixture of confusion and trepidation. Hild was the only one who remained unmoving, her head still cradled on her hands as she stared up at the now-standing Valkyrie.

She continued to smile, unconcerned with the actions around her, completely at ease in her environment. A moment of silence that seemed to stretch on forever came, and then Badb Catha sneered before whirling around and leaving the table. Half of the Valkyries at the table moved to follow behind the woman, moving around and surrounding their leader as they disappeared into the crowd.

Of the remaining Valkyries, the goddess who had been sitting next to Badb Catha slowly moved to stand, her eyes leaving the retreating presence of Badb Catha and her small unit and turning to regard Hild. The woman sighed, running a hand through her braided auburn hair. "You'll have to excuse my sister." She said, her blue eyes remaining firmly on Hild. "She hasn't been the same since Morrigan's…death." Her eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly at the Daimakaicho. "But I'm sure you already know that, Daimakaicho." The woman looked back to the remaining Valkyries at the table. "If you'll excuse me, I believe it is in our best interest to depart." Her gaze drifted to the various Slayers at the table, all of whom which were eying the small group of Valkyries with malice. "Before things grow too out of hand."

Hild chuckled lightly, her eyes sparkling cruelly. "Do what you will. After all, it isn't our goal to create a second war with you and your ilk. This is supposed to help end hostilities, not create them." The woman flinched under Hild's gaze before turning and following after her sister, the remaining Valkyries at the table following behind her in a mixture of regret and relief.

As the demons around them settled into a more comfortable position once more, Urd glanced up at her mother, silver brows drawn together in confusion. What had that been all about? "Mom?" She asked, her voice drawing the Daimakaicho's gaze to her.

Hild's smile became affectionate, and she gently placed a hand on her daughter's head, running her fingers through the short, silver locks of hair. "It's nothing, Urd. Some people simply can't forget the past."

The child frowned but nodded. "Can I leave? It's boring just sitting here." If anything else, maybe she could find that other girl. Maybe between the two of them, they could come up with something to entertain each other with.

Hild nodded and pat the girl's shoulder. Taking the tap for a dismissal, Urd slipped out of the chair with a quick 'thanks' before bounding off into the crowd, quickly disappearing behind the larger bodies of the adults. Hild watched her retreating figure fondly for a moment before turning her attention to the remaining Slayers at her table.

"Well, just because I'm still here doesn't mean you all need to stay. Feel free to get up and harass a Valkyrie or two. I'm sure it's more entertaining then sitting here and watching me converse with my daughter."

A murmur swept through the remaining demons, and dismissed from her presence, the Slayers stood and vanished into the crowd. "Anything to stir up trouble, eh M'Lady?"

Hild turned sharp violet eyes to the owner of the voice, her lips parting in an aggressive smile. "I prefer the phrase 'keeping them on their toes', myself. You, of all people, know that I do not simply 'stir up trouble', Mara."

The demon in question, Mara, smiled wanly from where he sat a short distance away from Hild, briefly revealing elongated canines. The only demon aside from Hild left at the table, he was stationed in the seat to the left of the one Urd had recently vacated.

Deciding to grow more comfortable, Hild adjusted her chair's position, before carelessly propping her feet up on Urd's chair. The child wouldn't need it for a good long while, and Hild saw no reason for either herself or the old demon next to her to simply switch seats. It wasn't as though they couldn't hear each other through the low roar of the surrounding crowd.

Crossing one slender leg over the other on the chair, Hild took a second to observe her sole companion at the table. The man stared back calmly, crimson eyes inquisitive as he stared at her through overly long bangs. His hair was long and black, and it flowed down his back in loose curls. Beads and bands of various sizes and colors lay interwoven in both his hair and in the thick braid of his beard, giving the demon a somewhat wild look that was only intensified by his slit pupils and fangs.

His facial insignia consisted of three diamond slits on his forehead, accompanied by three thin triangular insignia under each eye. Over all, the demon, Mara, appeared to be in his late thirties. Dressed in a loose fitting, long-sleeved shirt of a deep burgundy and matching light brown pants, the demon sat hunched over, clutching an old cane that the demon rested his chin on. The cane was made of a twisted and gnarled wood, the hands that held it dark and weathered and covered in various silver scars.

Hild raised an amused eyebrow. "You're still carrying that old thing around?" She asked, a hint of laughter in her voice as the Daimakaicho eyed the old cane. She'd known Old Mara for a long time. The old demon had been her second-in-command during the Great War, and had since retired as a sometimes bodyguard for Hild. Not that the Daimakaicho actually needed someone to guard her back during negotiations that might turn hostile, but she found him to be an amusing source of entertainment when things grew dull.

Now, it would seem, was one such time, as the demon snorted in disdain, adjusting his grip on the cane. "I've found it to be a good disciplinary instrument." He grumbled, his voice holding a rough quality one gained from continuously shouting orders at lackeys.

Hild didn't bother trying to hide the smile on her face. "Oh? And who would you be using _that_ on, Mara? I wasn't aware that you'd taken on an apprentice. Unless one of your daughters suddenly decided she wants to be a Slayer."

The demon shook his head, sending his hair on a wild journey across his face. "No apprentice. Not one I'd want anyways. And those two girls of mine have yet to bare me a useful son."

Hild leaned forwards in her chair, a spark of curiosity in her violet eyes. "Then who?"

"My granddaughter."

Hild's silver brows rose in surprise and a wide grin appeared on her face. "Ah, that's right, you have a granddaughter now, don't you? I believe her name was Marller, am I right?"

At the demon's nod of confirmation, Hild continued, her smile seeming to grow ever larger on her face. "She should be around Urd's age by now. Did you bring her here with you?"

The man grunted, nodding once more. "Her mother threw the brat on me. Thought it might appease me for her affair with that Jotunn." The demon snorted. "She'd have done better sacrificing the girl than giving her to me. Scrawny. Weak. Would be the runt of the litter if there was a litter. Whines too much too. Don't know what I'm supposed to do with her."

Hild sent the demon a disapproving look. "Watch your tongue Slayer." She warned. "I'll have no child sacrifices with Urd around. Such things have been abolished. You know that."

The man grunted in acknowledgment, and Hild's frown lightened. "Where is the girl now?"

Another grunt. "Brought her with me. Kid's like a damned shadow. Won't leave me alone no matter what I do."

At that Hild laughed, clapping her hands together in delight. "How wonderful!" She cried. "Someone for Urd to play with! Where is the child? The two should be introduced to each other."

Mara snorted. "The Brat's in back with one of the rookies, what's his name, Murmur? The new Goetia candidate. Last thing I need is to worry about the brat causing trouble when I'm not looking."

Hild nodded in an all-knowing fashion. "I see. I'm sure the two of them will meet up on their own then." Her smile turned sly. "So then, moving on. How are things between you and that banshee you call your spouse? Have you managed to kill her yet?"

The subject jumping from children to catching up on old times, the two demons, one an old Angel Slayer, the other the leader of Hell itself, never noticed the meeting of the two little girls they had originally been discussing.

Marller was bored. Scratch that. Marller was bored out of her skull. Bored to tears. So bored, that she would have been _happy_ if someone thrust a broom into her hand and ordered her to start sweeping. On a beach. With the tide coming in. _Anything_ to alleviate her boredom.

Her Gramps had brought her here in the hopes that she might learn something from the various Angel Slayers and Valkyries in the room. Too bad they were doing nothing but standing around talking to each other. The Angel Slayer who had been assigned to keep an eye on her, Murmur, had been her only source of entertainment, and he'd abandoned her as soon as the Daimakaicho had finished her speech. Jerk.

There had been that other girl who she'd gotten into a staring contest with at the start of Daimakaicho's speech, but that had come to an end quickly when Murmur had taken notice and swatted her. 'Show some respect.' He'd said. 'That's your future boss you're glaring at.'

She had silently vowed to throw a wurm into his drink the next time she was stuck with him. As it was, with no one paying the child any mind, Marller had taken to carving her name into the wood of the table she'd been placed at, having promptly been ordered to 'not go anywhere' by Murmur, even as the demon himself had left to flirt with some stupid Valkyrie.

Although it had been rather amusing to see the goddess turn him down with a quick jab in the gut.

And so with no one else around, Marller had taken to carving her name in the old wood. The utensil in question was a knife; one of her Gramps' old blades from the war with the Valkyries. Gramps had given it to her before they had entered the ballroom under very firm orders that 'it was not to be used unless needed.'

Weapons had been banned from the negotiation room. After all, the Queen of Hell was attending the meeting, as was her young daughter. The last thing anybody needed was a vengeful Valkyrie or Angel Slayer loosing it and pulling a blade on anybody. No doubt it would lead to another war between the two factions.

However, her Gramps had snuck in a weapon anyways, something about 'old habits that die hard' or something like that, and had given her his old blade. When Marller had asked why, his exact words had been, 'you're a brat with no notion of power. Without a weapon, you have no protection from any Valkyrie who decides it might be a good idea to have one less demon in the world.'

And while her Gramps hadn't been very specific when it came to when it was supposed to be used, she'd decided that using it to provide some meager form of entertainment fell under the category of 'if needed'.

She couldn't help but feel a swell of pride in her chest though. After all, she was still very young. She didn't even have a good grasp on her abilities yet! But despite that, her Gramps trusted her with one of his favorite blades. How many kids-demon, god, or mortal-had claims to that?

Lost in her own thoughts and uncaring of the activities happening around her, the little blonde demon was ignorant of the violet-eyed child that was slowly sneaking up behind her.

Urd had spied her several minutes ago, still in the same place the silver-haired girl had originally seen her. Which was something of a relief. The room was _big_, and there were a lot of people roaming around. If the girl had moved, chances were Urd would have never seen her again. What made the whole thing even better was the fact that the girl hadn't noticed her yet, which gave Urd the opportunity for a small bit of fun. At the other girl's expense, of course.

Using all the stealth her tiny body possessed, Urd slowly made her way past the bored Marller, quickly changing her path to move up behind the red-eyed child. Marller, meanwhile, sat her blade down, blowing away the wood carvings and taking a second to admire her handiwork. It would one day become the inspiration for all juvenile delinquents stuck in class with a desk and something strong enough to scratch wood. She had to admit, it was quite nice, given the tool she'd been forced to use.

What else could she do? Marller 'hmed' in thought, grabbing her knife once and idly tapping the flat of the blade against the wood in thought. And it was around this time that a small pair of dark hands reached out from behind her, one slapping against the girl's mouth, the other sliding around the girl's waist and pulling the child from the bench she was sitting at.

The fanged demon let out a startled yelp, muffled by the hand over her mouth, before quickly struggling against her assailant. She was being attacked! The Valkyries were trying to kidnap her! Her struggles increased, and Marller brought her blade down on her attacker's arm, the flat end meeting the small arm hard and earning a yelp from behind Marller's ear.

The grip loosened, and Marller surged free, wheeling around to face the _rather _small 'Valkyrie' who'd attempted to kidnap her. The silver-haired child rubbed the spot where Marller had struck her, an angry scowl on her youthful face as she glared at the girl. "What was that for!" The tan child demanded, planting her hands on her hips and appearing to all the world a diminutive, angry Hild.

The blonde-haired girl gaped for a second. This had been her assailant? Her surprise was short lived, however, and anger quickly replaced it. "What do you mean? You're the one that attacked me first! I thought I was gonna get kidnapped or something!"

The scowl on Urd's face darkened. "I wasn't attacking you! Besides, who'd want to kidnap some kid like you anyways, huh?" She folded her arms across her chest.

Marller responded with a scowl of her own, her face turning red with anger and her hands curling into small fists at her side. "I'm not some kid! Beside, I'm plenty important! My Gramps is second-in-command of the Angel Slayers, after all!"

"So! My Mama is first-in-command!"

Feeling her own face redden in anger, Urd's hands dropped to her side, and the young girl reached over and shoved her opponent. The girl, whose name she didn't even _know_, stumbled back, her hands flying out as she sought to keep her balance, the knife falling from her left hand and to the ground with a clatter.

Marller took no notice, instead blinking wide, surprised red eyes at the silver-haired girl, before narrowing said eyes and rushing to shove Urd back.

Urd, who looked to be caught somewhere between in the middle of gloating versus trying hard to look intimidating, was caught off guard by Marller's shove and quickly found herself on her butt. Grimacing in pain, she glanced up, Marller towering over her, an angry, fanged snarl on her face.

Urd responded with a cry of outrage, leaping to her feet and tackling Marller to the ground.

Hair was pulled.

Flesh was bitten and scratched.

There was an exchange of punches, slaps, and kicks.

And through it all, no one paid the children any heed. In reality, so long as the children didn't kill one another, or, worse yet, cause a scene that would end negotiations between Slayers and Valkyrie, the two could do whatever they wanted to one another.

And so it was that the original purpose behind Urd's actions was forgotten by the girl in question, something that would follow the child well up into adulthood. The duo continued their fight, landing wild blows that did little to no damage to the other, the small amount of magic they were able to scourge up against each other nothing more then cinders and static-a far cry from the power they would one day wield.

Eventually though, the fight dwindled in its ferocity, the blows growing weaker as the two grew tired of striking the other, until finally, the small combatants stood across from one another, breathing heavily as one waited for the other to make the next move. Both children's outfits were ruined. Various rips and tears in the fabric of outfits not initially made for battle. The two girls' hair, once neatly combed, undoubted had various tangles, giving the children a somewhat wild look to them. Small burn marks littered their forms, where a lucky spark or cinder had taken to flesh or fabric.

Despite all this, however, both Urd and Marller were uninjured. It was around this time that Urd smiled, taking her opponent off guard. "I like you." She said, plopping down to the floor and folding her legs underneath her.

Marller's brows furrowed together in confusion, and she eyed the girl wearily. "What?" She asked, a small part of her wondering if this was some sort of trick or joke to catch her off guard.

The silver haired child giggled, placing her hands behind her and leaning back on to them. She appeared completely relaxed, as though she'd simply grown tired of a game and had decided to move on to something else, as though she'd forgotten why they'd been fighting in the first place. "You're fun. None of the other kids I get stuck with will actually get into a fight with me. Momma says it's 'cause their parents are 'suck ups'." She leaned forward a bit, rocking on her legs slightly. "So, what's your name?"

The girl across from her blinked, as though unsure of what to make of Urd's sudden change in behavior, before relaxing from the somewhat guarded stance she was in, sending Urd another curious look before slowly sitting down, her legs spread out in front of her. "Uh…I'm Marller." She said, tilting her head to the side as she stared at Urd.

Urd's smile grew bigger. "Cool. So what's with the knife? What were you doing with it?"

"Um…I was…but weren't we just-"

"Yeah, but that got boring. Hey! Want to see something cool?"

"I…I guess, but-"

Urd leaped to her feet, an excited smile on her face as the little girl bounced over to Marller, grabbing the girl's hand and almost dragging her new…friend after her. Marller yelped, stumbling after the odd child that was the Daimakaicho's daughter, pausing only briefly to retrieve her grandfather's knife before being yanked after Urd.

And so began a rather odd friendship.

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A/N: Well, this came out a bit longer then I'd originally planned, but oh well. I guess this is the first chapter of the second half I mentioned in Angel Biter. Originally, both were to be part of the same story, rotating from the past to the present as I saw fit. But things change, and I now actually have a plot for Angel Biter, which was supposed to only become a prologue for this story. So congratulations to those of you who've enjoyed Angel Biter. It will continue to be updated, hopefully along side Origins here.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the first chapter, hopefully the OC's I've been forced to throw in here aren't turning you off from the story too much, but considering we really don't have a lot of canon demons to go by A!MG-wise, I've found it somewhat necessary to include them. Anyways, if you have any questions, comments, or flat out complaints, feel free to share them with me, and I'll do what I can to answer them. Until next time.

_Comments of a Madwoman: Chapter has been revamped as of 02/24/12. _


	2. On the Backs of Bicorns

Origins

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing

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The air was warm against her exposed skin as Urd dragged her companion outside. The sky was dark, a deep purple-black that seemed to melt into the horizon. The ever constant mist that hung in Niflheim almost seemed to greet the two children from where they had exited the ballroom and entered the courtyard, swirling around the girls and forming odd patterns and phantoms in the dim light.

The children paid the mist no attention, having long ago grown used to its presence. Instead, Urd paused, allowing herself and her new friend a brief second to adjust to the sudden change in light, blinking several times as the landscape around them grew clearer. A large, elaborate fence was raised before them, though it appeared to be more for appearance rather then function. Any demon with a good grasp on their abilities could easily cross over it, but for the two children, it was something of a dilemma.

Outside the courtyard, rolling plains greeted the children, the grass of a dark blue hue that matched the sky above their heads, the hilly landscape speckled with trees of black bark, their leaves a bright, contrasting red against the sky. Further off, in the distance, the girls could make out horse-like beasts in the field, idly munching on the dark grass of the plains.

Urd grinned as she looked outwards, turning to regard Marller with an overly cheerful expression. For her part, Marller returned the smile somewhat hesitantly, taking the brief pause to sheath her grandfather's blade and rub her wrist. Even if she was a kid like herself, Urd had an unusual amount of strength, something Marller would eventually chalk up to as a result of being Hild's daughter.

The silver-haired child ran to the gate, two small hands wrapping around the bars as Urd looked up. Marller followed behind at a slower pace, watching as Urd stood up on the tips of her toes, a hand leaving the gate bars and reaching upwards. The violet-eyed child muttered a curse, dropping back down to her heels and turning to Marller.

"Come here, I need your help. The latch to the gate is too high up for me to reach." She said, the bronze-skinned child waving the blonde demon to her side in a rushed, almost frantic manner.

A frown tugging at her lips, the red-eyed child moved to comply, the frown deepening somewhat as Urd positioned her in front of the gate. "What are we doing out here, anyways?" She asked, glancing behind her to where Urd stood, her hands crossed over her chest and her platinum brows drawn together in thought, staring up at the latch that hovered over Marller's head.

"I'll tell you in a second." Urd muttered, turning to regard Marller with intense amethyst eyes. "Until then, give me a boost up. I need to reach that latch so we can go into the field." She moved behind Marller, resting her hands on the girl's shoulders and pressing down, a silent order to kneel.

The red-eyed demon did as she was bid, grunting slightly as small knees dug into her back. She glanced above her, just in time to see Urd rise unsteadily to her feet, grabbing the bars for support. "Why are we going out into the field? I thought we weren't allowed out there without an adult."

"We aren't." Urd responded, reaching upwards and wrapping her hands around the latch, smiling gleefully in victory. "But that doesn't matter. Even if there was an adult with us, they wouldn't let me do what I have planned." There was a click, and the gate slowly swung open, not so much as a squeak escaping its hinges.

Her source of balance gone, Urd teetered unsteadily on Marller's back, her hands flying out as she fought for balance. "Hey, hold still will ya!" Urd cried out. "You're going to make me fall!"

Marller looked up at her, a grimace on her face. "I'm holding as still as possible!" She shouted back. "But you're heavy! My back hurts!"

"Then you better hold still so I can get off!" Urd retorted, her balance growing more unsteady with each passing second. Marller responded with a frustrated growl, her patience growing thin with the girl on top of her.

"Damn it, get _off_!" The child shouted, rocking back and forth in an effort to launch Urd from her back. The action had the intended affects, as Urd yelped, her balance lost, sending the child toppling to the ground. Unfortunately, they were not the desired results on Marller's part as, due to the fact that Urd had been standing on top of Marller, the girl ended up falling and landing in a heap on top of the little demon and earning another yelp, this time from Marller.

For several seconds, the two laid tangled in each others limbs, a soft moan escaping Marller's throat as she crawled out from underneath Urd. Urd picked herself up with a groan, shifting into a sitting position as she took a moment to glare at her companion. "What was that for! I told you to hold still!"

Marller glowered back. "Yeah, but you weren't doing anything, and I was getting tired of holding you." She retorted, moving to stand and rubbing her back gently.

Urd followed the motion, standing with a grunt, a small scowl on her face that quickly vanished as she looked at the now-open gate. "Oh well, it doesn't matter now. C'mon, let's go." Without waiting for her friend's response, the child bolted into the field at a quick sprint, leaving Marller standing behind to gape at her quickly retreating form.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" She asked aloud, looking towards the heavens as though they could supply her with an answer. None came, and with a sigh, Marller quickly bolted after her friend.

It didn't take long for the child to catch up with her companion. Urd seemed to have noticed the lack of Marller at her side, and had slowed her pace somewhat so the other demon could catch up. The duo ran through the field, Urd leading the way up one of the many hills that filled the landscape, coming to a halt at the top of the hill.

As Marller followed suit, the Daimakaicho's daughter turned, pressing a finger to her lips and motioning for Marller to lie down, the platinum-haired child following her own orders and dropping to her stomach. Marller did as ordered, tilting her head to the side in curiosity as she wondered once more, just _what_ the two of them doing in the field.

Uncaring of the dark soil clinging to her outfit, Urd crawled forwards, smirking somewhat as she sensed Marller doing the same next to her. Below them, the hilly plains stretched on into a valley, and even though the hill they rested on was small, the two felt as though they could look on for miles.

Standing undisturbed on the grasslands, the children spotted the equine-like creatures from before, some of which were standing under the hill the girls rested upon. Serenely, the creatures ate away at the dark grass, tails of various colors swishing and swaying every now and then.

Urd grinned brightly, her eyes sparkling as she took a moment to simply observe the herd of bicorns that relaxed in the field below her. The creatures came in a wide range of colors, from a blindingly bright white that stood out in the dark environment of Niflheim, to a dark purple-black that seemed to merge with the sky itself.

Two horns sprouted from the top of each beast's skull, ranging from the horizontally aligned horns that resembled anything from a gazelle's horns to the horns of a ram on the females, to the vertically aligned horns reminiscent of a two-horned unicorn or some type of rhinoceros on the males. Their eyes were pointed forwards, like those of a predator, the pupils slit like those of a snake or cat. Bicorns. Urd had once heard her mother refer to them as 'the unicorns of the damned'. What had she said again? 'Bicorns are to unicorns what demons are to gods.'

The girl smothered a giggle, feeling a wave of giddiness rise up in her stomach. She turned to Marller, who was looking at her with an expression that demanded an explanation. With a smile that would have made the Cheshire cat proud, the violet-eyed child pointed towards one bicorn in particular.

"See that bicorn down there?" Urd whispered, keeping her voice low less she and Marller be noticed by the herd.

Marller stared in the pointed direction, her eyes coming to rest on a rather large female with blue-black fur and a white mane and tail that contrasted violently against her coat. Her horns were long and thin, curving backwards viciously and promising a painful death to any creature foolish enough to come within striking range. She had four toes, slightly reminiscent of prehistoric horses rather then any sort of hoof found on its modern equine cousins found in either heaven or earth. Each toe ended in a deadly curved talon.

Marller blinked. "Yeah…it looks like the Lead Mare of the herd. What of it?"

"She's my mother's mount." Urd's smile was more then a little devious.

"Okay…what does that have to do with us?" Urd's smile grew, and Marller felt herself growing uncomfortable.

"Simple. We're going to ride her."

Mara had watched in silence as his granddaughter and Hild's child departed from the room, the somewhat entertaining fight the children had gotten into coming to an end rather swiftly. Shifting his grip on the head of his cane, the demon elder muttered to himself, "Marller needs to learn to keep a better grip on her weapon. The fight would have ended much sooner had she been using it in the fight."

With a soft groan, the demon stood from where he was seated. "I suppose I should inform Hild on the disappearance of her child." He said, slowly making his way to where the woman in question stood, conversing lightly with another Valkyrie.

As the man drew closer, he caught the last part of the Valkyrie's question: "…have to wear these collars? They're rather unpleasant, Lady Daimakaicho." The woman-a pretty young thing with braided blonde hair and sea-green eyes, rubbed the base of her throat uncomfortably, where a rather elaborate collar rested against her pale skin.

The Daimakaicho smiled brightly, her eyes glittering in amusement. "Now, Lady Sigrun, you should know that you don't _have_ to wear anything. The decision to wear that collar is entirely up to you and your legion. However it is recommended. The collars I handed out to you Valkyries are lined with seals meant to suppress angels. After all, it would be bad if one of the little darlings were to suddenly pop out of a Valkyrie in a room full of Slayers. Especially around the First Generation. They tend to get a little…rambunctious at the sight of an angel." She chuckled darkly. "Is that not so, Mara?"

A pair of glittering violet eyes turned to regard him, and the demon in question blinked. Sea-green joined violet, and the elder sighed, leaning heavily against his cane and nodding absently. "The Lady is right, Valkyrie. Were it not for those collars, myself and the men who share the title 'First Generation' would no doubt be attempting to rip apart the creature resting within you. Be it with weapons or with our bare hands." He turned to regard Hild with ruby eyes. "Daimakaicho? If I may have a word with you?"

Hild graced him with a toothy smile before turning back to the Valkyrie she was speaking with, politely excusing herself from the younger woman's company before moving to join the tan demon. "Never one to mince words, are you Mara?" She asked, an amused smile on her lips.

The demon grunted, but otherwise offered no form of explanation. "The children have left the room." He said, his gravely voice low against the constant murmur of the surrounding crowd.

Hild nodded, her stance locked in an easy, relaxed position. "Ah, so they've met then, have they?"

Another grunt. She decided to take it as a confirmation. "Wonderful. I'm sure that wherever they've wandered off too, they'll be just fine so long as their together." She giggled gleefully. "I wonder how long it will take before they get into a mess they can't get out of." She said, raising a finger to her chin as though in thought. The dark skinned woman looked over at her companion. "What do you think, Mara?"

That grunt again. Hild silently mused that the demon before her could no doubt hold a conversation with just that noise alone. "Considering that one of them is your daughter? Not very long."

The Daimakaicho laughed at the man's words, apparently ignoring something that could have easily been seen as a veiled insult coming from anyone else. "Well then, let's hope those two don't keep us waiting too long. This little meeting is growing more then a little dull." Hild took a moment to glance around at the surrounding Angel Slayers and Valkyries, planting a hand on her waist. "After all, enticing Valkyries into fights is only entertaining for so long."

It was as though the Daimakaicho's words were a signal, for at that moment, the two massive doors that lead to the outside courtyard burst open. Heads whirled to face the interruption, jaws dropping and eyes of various shades widening as in rode the two children in question, Urd's cries of joy mingling with Marller's shrieks of fear.

More screams came, these ones indistinguishable from the bicorn herd that was currently tearing into the ballroom versus those unfortunate demons and goddesses who couldn't get out of said herd's path quick enough. They were quickly trampled.

Sitting on the back of the Lead Mare of the bicorn herd, her fingers entwined within the thick snowy white mane, was Urd, an expression of pure joy on her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she peered between the two large horns on the female's head. Trailing at her side was Marller, riding on the back of a male bicorn who, with his small secondary horn and blinding white coat, resembled his divine cousins more then his own kind. The Lead Mare's mate, Marller sat on his back with an expression that was Urd's opposite: Her eyes were screwed shut, an expression of utter terror on her face as she clung to the creature she was on with all her might. It was impossible to tell her screams from those of the beast she road upon.

In a room filled with Valkyries and Angel Slayers of both first and second generation, the only result that could be brought from the presence of the equine-like creatures was chaos. And that chaos quickly reared its ugly head when one Valkyrie in particular, an old first generation with a streak of silver running through her black hair, Olrun, came to a shocking realization.

"It's an ambush!" She screamed, a hand going to her throat and ripping off the collar that was suppressing her angel. "This whole thing has been a trick! The demons wanted to draw us all to one place to finish us off!"

The fact that no one in the room, save Marller, was armed with a weapon of any sort was lost on the Valkyrie. As were the various seals that aligned the walls and ceiling, limiting the power both entities wielded so freely on a daily basis. The fact that the Daimakaicho herself had gone through active measures to ensure the safety of the angels resting within the Valkyries was forgotten, just as the little truth that the meeting as a whole had been the Almighty's idea.

None of that mattered now, as the various Valkyries stationed around the room heard their fellow soldier's words, and came to the same conclusion. They were being attacked by bicorn, after all, and weren't the cursed creatures the steeds of the Angel Slayers? It could be nothing _but _an attack. It seemed that those present failed to notice the two children riding on the backs of the two bicorn in charge.

Panic throwing sound judgment to the wind, the various goddesses ripped off the collars suppressing their angels, allowing access to higher levels of magic. The guests wheeled around to face their hosts, expressions ranging from fear to rage as they attacked the Slayers. The demons, while surprised by the sudden turn of events, managed to keep their heads, avoiding and blocking the various blows that, had it not been for the seals located within the room, would have gravely injured them.

Then another Valkyrie, a nameless second-gen, brought forth her angel in the hopes of casting a rather powerful spell against her opponents. And then all hell broke loose as the first-generation Angel Slayers lost their cool.

Hild, a large, gleeful smile on her face, paused from where she stood over a Valkyrie she had just thrown into a table. Sensing the emergence of an angel, the woman wheeled around to Mara, who, likewise had frozen, the butt of his cane buried in an unfortunate Valkyrie's gut. The demon's pupils dilated, and the dark-haired man turned to regard the Valkyrie who had summoned the angel, a predatory smile on his face.

"Oh hell." Hild muttered. Around her, she could _feel_ the rest of the first-generation Angel Slayers turn to stare at the angel. She didn't need to bother looking to know that they more then likely shared Mara's expression.

First-generation Angel Slayers, discounting Hild, all shared a somewhat unique trait. Perhaps it was because they might be consider the 'first of their kind' or a side affect of them being an 'experimental unit', but the sight of an angel, or even a devil familiar, which when one thought about it was little more the Niflheim's version of an angel, drove the first-gen into something of a bloodlust. It had a tendency to reproduce survival characteristics that laid dormant within the legion, bringing out the most vicious aspects of the Slayers personalities.

Ironically, older Valkyries such as Badb Catha and her sister, Macha, shared a similar problem.

And so it was, that as the angel was brought forth from her mistress that the conference room became a battlefield. Tables were knocked onto their sides and transformed into shelters. The legs of chairs became splintered swords and daggers. Silverware transformed into projectiles and the backs of chairs into shields as the two factions went to war with each other.

"Death to the angels!" Mara roared, brandishing his cane like a sword and running for the unfortunate Valkyrie and angel, the roar of bloodthirsty, half-mad, first-generation Angel Slayers at his back. The angel, no doubt intimidated by the various demons screaming for her blood, took one look at the rabid pack, made a noise that sounded oddly like a squeak, and dove back into her mistress.

For her part, the Valkyrie in charge of the angel stood her ground, dropping into a fighting position and looking for all the world like she could take a whole platoon of insane demons. The look was quickly destroyed however, as a rather angry bicorn ran her down, trampling the young woman and leaving her twitching on the ground, the dirt from the creature's hooves marring her outfit from its traditional white to an ugly tan.

The bicorn then proceeded to run through the pack of Angel Slayers, sending various demons flying and running over poor Mara, who had been the one leading the crazed men. But that was nothing compared to the two Goetia-ranked Slayers, Andres and Amon, who'd been unfortunate to actually get skewered by the creature's massive horns.

Hild couldn't help but wince at the sight of the two being dragged off behind the enraged beast. "Those two are going to be quite the pair when they wake up." She mused, ducking a swing from a Valkyrie and blocking a kick from another. Glancing at the pair the demon's eyes lit up, recognizing the two sisters from earlier in the evening.

"Oh! It's you two! Here to reclaim the feathers of your sister's dead angel?" Both Badb Catha and Macha stood in front of her, their eyes glazed over and slightly mad as they stared at Hild with matching expressions of rage. "Hmm…maybe not."

"For the glory of the Almighty!" Macha screamed, launching another punch at Hild, her sibling following through with a strike of her own. Hild deflected both blows, a merry smile on her face as she buried her fist in one's face, her knee coming up to bury itself in the gut of the other. The two recoiled a brief distance away from the Daimakaicho, before recovering and coming at the woman, once more screaming random phrases in the demon's face. It looked like these two had followed their rival first-gen slayers down the path of bloodlust.

"Oh damn. You kids are no fun to play with in your current state." Hild sighed, backing away from the two enraged Valkyries, evading their blows in an almost bored fashion as they came at her. She blinked as cold stone pressed into her back, mildly surprised that the two sisters had managed to back her up against a wall. Badb Catha launched a fist at Hild's face. Hild swatted the limb to the side, where it promptly buried itself several inches into the stone.

"I think it's time for the two of you to go to sleep." She said, ignoring the cry of outrage from Badb Catha. Moving faster then either sister could follow, she placed a hand on each woman's head, her fingers entwining in their hair. "Night night." She cooed, before bringing the sisters heads together. There was a 'clack' of bone hitting bone, and the two sisters plummeted to the floor without so much as a groan from either of them.

Stepping over the now-unconscious Valkyries, Hild took a moment to glance around, searching for her daughter. The room was in a state of chaos as demon, goddess, and bicorn assaulted each other without discrimination. Bodies were already lining the floor, giving the room the look and feel of a war zone. "So much for negotiations." Hild murmured, an amused smile once more on her features as she watched a Valkyrie and Slayer knock each other out, bringing a pair of broken table legs down upon one another's heads.

"Now, where is Urd?" Ah, there she was. The child was still on her bicorn, a look of wonder on her face as the beast she road lashed out at an unfortunate demon, teeth like a tiger's flashing in the artificial light that surrounded them. Marller and the white bicorn stood several feet behind Urd, Mara's granddaughter seeming to have gotten over her initial fear, staring at the surrounding mayhem with wide eyes.

Hild made her way towards the children, ducking and weaving through various opponents and landing several blows that knocked whoever approached her out cold. As the Daimakaicho approached, the female bicorn turned to her with a snarl, and an angry voiced echoed through Hild's mind, demanding that the demon get the spawn-child off her back.

"It's good to see you too, Lich." Hild greeted, ignoring the fiery glare the mare sent her as she looked up at Urd. "Urd? How about you get off Lich here. She doesn't seem to be taking very kindly to you on her back."

Urd, who's small hands had moved to wrap around the base of Lich's horns somewhere in between entering the room and her current place on Lich's back in the center of the room, turned to look down at her mother with a toothy grin. "Okay!" She cried, flipping a small leg over one side of the bicorn's back and dropping into her mother's waiting arms.

Looking at the miniature war she and Marller had started, Urd wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, burying her fingers in the dark feathers of Hild's cloak. "Mama?"

Hild paused from her conversation with Lich and the white bicorn, Sargasso, who, like his mate, was demanding that the Daimakaicho get his unwanted rider off his back. For her part, Marller didn't appear to want to get down, her fingers tangled in the poor steed's mane in an almost painful manner, her eyes drawn in every which way as she fought to catch sight of everything that happened around her.

The woman looked at her daughter, a soft smile on her face. "Yes Urd?"

The little girl's brows drew together with worry. "Did me and Marller do something bad?"

Hild blinked, staring at the violet eyed child for a brief moment before turning to the room. The battle was slowly dieing down. Both demons and goddesses were slowly regaining their senses, or were perhaps growing tired of fighting one another. Bicorns were scattered throughout the room, having calmed somewhat from their initial raid on the room. Some stood milling about almost dolefully, their tails swishing to and fro as they nickered softly to one another while others still looked eager to trample any creature that go too close.

The room itself was a mess. The furniture that had been situated within the room was scattered around, turned on their sides, even broken in some conditions. Unconscious demons laid side by side by the goddesses that had been their opponents. No doubt they would all be in a rather foul mood upon awakening. The entire reason they'd all been summoned to the room had been forgotten, and there was no doubt in Hild's mind that there was little to no chance of her picking up from where she had been before Urd and Marller had stormed the building with a herd of bicorns. The entire event was ruined.

But hot damn if she hadn't had that much fun in _ages_. It was a shame so many of her people had gone insane half-way through the fight. An event like this only happened once in a blue moon, and she knew they'd all be disappointed when they awoke with memories long past rather then those of a somewhat enjoyable fight.

Biting back a bubble of laughter, Hild shook her head. Such was life. "No, Urd. You and Little Marller did nothing wrong. Now, how about we try and regain control of the situation and get Lich and her mob out of here? I'm sure they'd much rather be out in their field then cooped up in here."

It was several hours before Hild finally convinced Lich and Sargasso to take their herd and return to their field. As it turned out, the gate that surrounded the courtyard hadn't been to keep any young demons, such as Urd and Marller, safely inside. It had been built rather, to keep curious and malevolent bicorn out, something that had become of little use when Urd had opened the gate.

It was several _more_ hours before the room, in all its glory, was emptied of its various occupants. As things had calmed, those who remained standing on the makeshift 'battlefield' had been sentenced to drag their comrades out of the room and to their respectable quarters-their reward for remaining conscious through it all. Those that had regained consciousness during that time were instructed in much the same way. Any medical treatment was saved until _after_ the room was cleared-leaving plenty of incentive for both demon and goddess to _move_ their asses as quickly as possible.

And so it was that Hild found the courtroom void of anyone save herself, her daughter, Marller, and Mara, whom Hild had awakened with a quick, harmless bolt of electricity. Sitting on one of the few chairs that hadn't been broken in the fights, Urd and Marller watched as the last of the unconscious adults was dragged from the room, Hild and Mara talking softly amongst themselves a short distance away.

Urd looked over at her friend, kicking her feet idly as the duo waited on their respectable adults. "That was pretty cool." She said, keeping her voice low so as not to bring forth any unwanted attention. "Did you see the looks on everyone's faces when we stormed in on the bicorns? I thought some of 'em were going to die right then and there!"

Marller bit her lip, giving a somewhat hesitant nod. "Uh…yeah…" She murmured, her expression downcast as she looked to where her grandfather stood.

Her disheartened attitude did not go unnoticed. Urd tipped her head to the side, regarding her companion with curiosity. "What's the matter? Didn't like riding on Sargasso?"

The blonde demon shook her head. "No, it's not that." Her grandfather was coming towards them, his expression unreadable. A look of dread overcame Marller's expression. "It's...you'll find out soon enough." Her gaze fell to the floor, where a pair of black boots came to rest in her line of sight.

Urd's frown was puzzled, but as Mara approached, she found herself falling silent, turning to look up at the man with a questioning expression.

Two loud cracks echoed throughout the chamber, followed by two pained yelps.

Urd brought her hands to her head, covering the now-throbbing area from where Mara had struck her with the head of his cane. Next to her, Marller sat clutching her head in a similar manner. Eyes tearing up in pain, she glared up at the elder, who loomed over her with a frown on his face. Hild was conveniently absent.

"What the hell was that for!" The child demanded, an angry snarl on her tan face as Urd tenderly rubbed the assaulted area on her forehead. "That _hurt_!" She didn't notice Marller's grimace, or the slight shake of the child's head.

Another crack rang through the room, followed, once more, by a cry-though this one was more of outrage then of pain.

"Would you stop that!" Urd all but screamed, hunching over and cradling her skull in her hands. Beside her, Marller winced in sympathy, before nudging her comrade with an elbow.

"Urd, shut up." She hissed. "Otherwise he'll keep at it 'till he knocks you out."

Urd opened her mouth as though to protest, but another elbow in her ribs and the slight raise of Mara's cane quickly silenced her. She settled for a rather venomous glare instead, one that no doubt would have melted off the older demon's face ten times over.

A moment of silence passed, and then the man in front of the two children crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as his red gaze shifted from one child to the next. "Do you two have any idea as to what you've done?" His voice was low, hinged with an unmistakable growl.

Nothing but silence graced his ears. He continued. "Because of that foolish stunt you brats decided to pull, any chance of mending relationships between the military of the heavens and the hells have been destroyed."

Urd blinked, frowning at his words. "But Mama said-"

Mara cut her off. "I don't care what Hild told you. That woman could care less about relationships between warring factions. So long as it doesn't cause her anything she sees of value, the two sides could go back to slaughtering one another for all she cares."

The demon's lips thinned, and a quick glance at Marller told Urd that his next words would no doubt be worse. "Furthermore, the two of you should consider yourselves lucky. Had you not been safely upon the backs of those two bicorn, you both could have been gravely injured by any one person in the room."

"But the seals-"

"The seals wouldn't have done a _damn_ from preventing a full grown Valkyrie or Slayer from killing a child. It is through sheer dumb luck that the two of you managed to stay on the backs of the lead mare and her mate. Those two alone were aggressive enough that no one dared approach them, even when blinded by bloodlust."

The old demon slammed the butt of his cane down against the floor, the 'crack' of its impact echoing throughout the room. It was then that Hild decided to make an appearance, walking back into the room after being forced to make a temporary exit with a Slayer who couldn't quite seem to make an exit on his own.

Returning to see her old second-in-command scolding Urd and Marller, Hild hung back, crossing her arms over her chest and raising a thin eyebrow as she listened to his words. The old demon always had been big on discipline, just as she had always been rather lax with it.

Hell, she doubted the Slayers would have lasted past first-gen had he not been there handing out orders. She'd have just as easily thrown the whole lot of them onto a battlefield with only their instincts and the insanity that dwelt within them for guidance.

Which was why it wasn't until Hild sensed a lapse in Mara's scolding that the woman bothered to make herself known, approaching the trio and resting a delicate hand on Mara's shoulder. The man turned to regard her with one red eye, before ducking his head in something that fell just short of a nod and turning back to the girls.

"Marller, come." He barked, waiting for the child in question to hop off her chair, and, with a quick nod of farewell to both Hild and Urd, bounded off to her grandfather. His granddaughter at his side, Mara grunted something that could have been a goodbye, before turning and wandering through the twin doors, Marller trailing behind him.

Hild and Urd watched the duo depart, before Hild turned once more to Urd. "Well, by the looks of things, I'd have to say Ol' Mara gave you a bit to chew on, did he not?"

Urd scowled, her face scrunching up into one of obvious displeasure. "He hit me twice with that stupid stick of his, then yelled at us. He's a jerk."

Hild chuckled. "Now now, don't hold it against him. Mara simply has a different way of rearing his brood, that's all." Her eyes sparkled in amusement as she offered her daughter a hand. The child took it gratefully, her small palm disappearing within Hild's entwined fingers. "And its certainly not _my_ place to tell him how to raise youths. It's one of the few places he has more experience in then I do."

The two set off at a slow pace, walking past the various debris that covered the floor of the large room without so much as a second glance. At Hild's side, Urd sighed. Hild looked down at her daughter, tilting her head to the side in question. "Urd?"

The child looked up, gracing her mother with a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. I just feel kind of bad for Marller. She must get whacked a lot when she does something that old man of hers doesn't like."

Two platinum eyebrows rose at the revelation, and Hild laughed. "I'm sure she does. But then I'm also sure she must be somewhat used to it by now, Urd. One doesn't live with Mara without gaining a rather hard head in the process."

Urd giggled at her mother's words. "Do you think I can see Marller again sometime?" She asked, staring up at Hild with large, violet eyes that shined in the artificial light.

Hild smirked, releasing her hand from its grip around Urd's and instead ruffling the child's short hair. "I don't see why not."

* * *

A/N: Okay, another rather long chapter, but I hope it was worth it for you guys. I feel like I screwed up on some of the description in concerns to what was happening to whom during the fight, but hopefully the mistakes won't have that large an affect on the chapter as a whole. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed the second chapter. Questions, comments, complaints and the sort? Feel free to tell me.

_Comments of a Madwoman: Updated and revamped as of 02/24/12._


	3. Bettings with Souls

The room echoed with the loud _clang_ of metal on metal, followed by a bellowing war cry that almost, but not quite, consumed the softer, animalistic roar of one demon's opponent. The producers of the noise, a large, scruffy demon reminiscent of a bear, and his opponent, a smaller, wiry demon who couldn't seem to hold still for longer then a minute, leaped apart from one another, only to come at each other once more, weapons flying into one another as each demon sought out his opponent's weakness.

It was a classic scene of brawns versus brains, strength versus speed, and all other such manners.

The larger of the duo, a man with short cropped hair with a purple hue to it, lunged forward with his broadsword, the blade coming down on his smaller opponent, only to be caught in between the prongs of the trident the brown haired man wielded. With a grunt, the smaller demon twisted his weapon, and the blade flew from the larger man's hands, falling to the floor with a harsh ring that echoed throughout the chamber.

Whoops and hollers filled the air, the various demons observing the fight from the side lines cheering enthusiastically as the battle played out.

Apparently not at all intimidated by the three sharp spokes of the trident that was now pressed against his neck, the large man grabbed the weapon with a speed that belied his large form, one large hand wrapping around the staff end, the other entwining fingers around the prongs of the weapon. Moving quickly, he thrust the weapon away from his face, sending his opponent off balance.

The smaller man fell to the floor with a grunt, eyes an unusual hue of orange widening as the bear-man lunged at him, barely scampering out of the behemoth's reach before his opponent could grab him. The wiry man leaped to his feet. Now unarmed like his opponent, the man crouched into a defensive pose, his feet dancing across the tiled floor to a beat only he seemed to hear.

More unwanted cries from the audience, this time their cries mixing with shouts of bets and jibes to each demon's pride.

"Watch it Caim! Flauros might squish you!"

"Move your ass Flauros! You ain't gonna catch that bird brain if you stand still like that!"

"I'm betting fifty years of service on Flauros. Caim may be fast, but Leopard Breath over there has stamina. It's only a matter of time before Caim screws up, and Flauros'll be on top of him like a cat on a bird."

"You're on!"

This and similar conversations permeated the chambers, and were virtually ignored by the two demons in question. After all, if they allowed themselves to be distracted in something that was little more then a mock fight-a training exercise-how would they fair on an actual battlefield?

The lumbering giant that was Flauros made a swipe at the smaller Caim. The man easily danced out of the path of danger, before rounding about and making a pass of his own on the large man. Flauros shrugged off the blow, as though the kick Caim had landed on his outer thigh had been little more then a light smack from a child.

The duo continued their exchange of blows, and from where she sat off to one side, Hild watched on with a smirk, her eyes glittering as she watched the violent display in front of her. She sat in a simple chair that seemed modest in comparison to her rank among her people, but then, Hild hadn't come to the training chamber to flaunt her rank and authority to her Slayers.

She could do that any day.

Rather, she had come in the hopes of escaping the large, grueling pile of paperwork that was no doubt collecting dust on her desk. She wouldn't call it a break-the Daimakaicho _never_ had time for a break-but rather one of the more enjoyable duties that came with her rank and position.

Observing the training sequences carried out by the newer additions to her ranks, such as the second-gen Slayer Flauros, was one such task. It was almost soothing, listening to the screams and shouts of her men as they goaded their targets on, the clang of steel on steel, the _crack_ of bone breaking…The ivory haired woman took a deep breath, releasing it in a content sigh. The room smelled of the various demons around her, each different, yet with an ever present underlying scent that seemed to link them all together, seeming to connect the various demon to her and reminding her that, even if someone _was_ to throw her from her throne, the demons that surrounded Hild would always belong to her.

The dark skinned woman immersed herself in her surroundings, thoroughly enjoying herself as she observed the strengths of the large demon before her, as well as noting his flaws, the woman's indigo eyes sparkling as Hild's mind ran through the list of Slayers who could be partnered with him to either make up for the weakness, or beat it out of him through a series of training exercises.

Caim, the man's current opponent and a lesser ranked first gen, obviously wasn't as good a choice as she'd originally theorized. For all the smaller man could run circles around Flauros all day and increase the younger demon's reflexes, Caim did little to improve the man's stance, which was one of the more obvious weaknesses. The stance was heavily overbalanced, and a jab at the right angle would send the large man head over heels if he didn't fix the problem soon.

Indigo eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Hmm…perhaps Amon would be a better candidate. The man was also a first gen, though his build was more similar to Flauros's then Caim's. Maybe someone similar in size would help destroy the weakness…

A sickening crunch and a collective moan from the other Slayers located around the chamber brought Hild from her thoughts, and the bronze skinned woman blinked, violet eyes focusing on the duo in front of her once more.

Flauros was kneeled over, both hands covering his nose and tears threatening to stream down his face. Caim stood a few feet away, eyeing the larger man with something of a cruel smirk, his arms crossed over his chest and an expectant look on his face. Looked like someone had gotten his nose smashed in.

Caim looked her way, one light eyebrow raised in question, and as one, the rest of the Slayers turned to face Hild as well. As the Daimakaicho, Hild had the final say in all things. It was her duty to announce the victor of the match, or whether she thought a smashed nose with enough of a minor injury for the fight to continue. A smile quirked on her lips. Ah, the joys of power.

"This match goes to Caim." Hild declared, her voice strong and clear and echoing off the walls of the chamber.

A collection of groans and cheers greeted her ears, and the demon chuckled, leaning further back into her chair. The two combatants bowed to her in acknowledgement of her proclamation, before turning and gathering up their respective weapons and returning to the sidelines, one of which found himself engulfed by comrades no doubt eager to see the extent of the damage Caim had laid out on his face.

"Is he gonna be alright?" A small voice from below her asked, the child's words almost completely engulfed by the surrounding chit chat of other demons preparing for a new match.

Hild looked down to the owner, meeting curious violet eyes that were almost a reflection of her own. Urd sat leaned up against Hild's feet, her expression inquisitive as the child looked up at the towering woman. There was an evident lack of concern for the demon Urd queried over in her eyes, only a simple curiosity, something Hild took a small bit of pride in.

Divine blood be damned.

Hild chuckled, looking up and at the two newest demons that were about to tear into each other like a couple of raging tigers. "He'll be fine." She said, a hand coming down to ruffle Urd's short platinum hair. "He wouldn't be a Slayer, if he couldn't brush something so minor off."

"Oh. Okay." The Daimakaicho sensed rather then saw turn her attention back to the fight that was about to begin.

"Alright, Little One. Quiz time. From what you can tell just by looking at them, who do you think will win this fight?"

Having found herself going about one of her less stressful duties as the Daimakaicho, Hild had taken it upon herself to include her daughter in the event. It would give Urd a good feel and understanding for battle, even a mock battle such as the ones that had been scheduled ahead of time. Plus there was that small little added bonus of simply spending some quality time with her offspring-something that always seemed few and far between as of late.

Of course, it wasn't just for the sole purpose of bonding. Just because they were together didn't mean Urd couldn't learn something from the experience, and Hild would be divine if she raised her daughter into an idiot.

At her feet, Urd shifted against Hild's legs, moving into a more comfortable position before leaning against her mother. Her face scrunched up in concentration as she observed the two demons, taking in the tall, skinny man with the long dirty brown hair, and his opponent, a slightly shorter, stockier man with something of a buzz cut. The child tilted her head to one side, as though the change in perspective would lend her the answers she was seeking.

"Um…that one." She said after a careful scrutiny of both men, pointing to the one the tan skinned child believed would bring about victory. That said, her hand dropped into her lap once more, joining its twin as Urd peered back up at her mother, wondering if she'd given the correct answer.

Hild's smile was encouraging. "And why do you believe 'that one' will win, my dear?"

The child brought a finger to her lip, lightly biting down on the nail as she looked to the ceiling in thought.

"Remember, base your answer on facts. Don't simply pick one believing he will win. More often then not, your guess will be wrong in comparison to one who is observant enough to spot a target's weaknesses. Now look again. Is your answer still the same?"

Urd's gaze shifted from the ceiling and to her mother's face, before shifting once more to stare at the two opponents in front of her. The taller of the two was armed with a pole arm, a wicked looking blade attached to the pole's end that shown dully in the light of the chamber. Going through a special set of exercises meant to loosen the muscles required to wield the weapon, the man moved with the fluidity and grace of one born with a staff in hand.

His opponent held nothing but a simple stiletto in hand, his grey eyes calculating as he observed his opponent while going about his own stretches, moving with the ease of a man who had experience at his back rather then a natural talent for any given weapon. Silver scars littered his exposed flesh, where muscles rippled under weathered skin.

"Umm…." The silver haired child pointed once more, looking up to her mother for approval. Hild looked back one platinum brow raised in question as she graced her daughter with a wry grin.

"Are you sure this time?"

Urd nodded her head enthusiastically, sending her short hair on a wild journey across her face. "Yeah….he looks really strong." She said, perhaps lacking the vocabulary needed to make a more in depth declaration.

"Positive?" There was a note of humor in Hild's voice now, and Urd's brows drew together in confusion. What was so funny?

"Uh huh. I'm positive, Momma. He's gonna win for sure."

Hild chuckled lightly, reaching a hand down and lightly ruffling Urd's short hair. "Very well then." She said softly, before turning her attention back to the two combatants. Speaking aloud once more, she addressed her fellow Slayers. "I'll place five hundred souls on Shax winning this round." She declared, her voice ringing through the air and silencing any sort of conversation as she pointed to the tall, stork-like demon in question and bringing surprised stares from both combatants.

Hild was not normally one to engage in the betting pools that regularly sprouted during such matches, mostly due to the fact that she had an extensive knowledge of each and every Slayer's strengths and weaknesses. No one would go against her if she made a bet, because chances were she'd win, and even if she didn't win, no one wanted to go against the Daimakaicho in the chances of angering her. For her to suddenly decide to throw her lot into the betting pool meant…

At her feet, Urd twirled around to stare at her mother with wide eyed terror. "Mom!?" Shax had been the demon the child had thought was going to win, and Urd hadn't thought much beyond that fact, though she had been a little confused as to why Hild had continuously questioned her.

Now she knew why, as Hild gazed down at her with eyes that sparkled with mischief, a gleeful smile on her face as the Daimakaicho registered the shocked expression on her daughter's face. "You said you were sure, am I right?" She questioned, her voice echoing with laughter.

"Yeah but…but..." Urd sputtered out, suddenly at a loss as of what to say to her mother, her hands darting in various gestures as she struggled to come up with the right words. "…I didn't think you'd actually _bet _on him!" She cried, voice rising in panic as the violet eyed girl suddenly began doubting her decision. "What if I'm wrong!? How do you know I picked the right one? What if you loose?"

Hild's laughter rang throughout the chamber, and the woman stared fondly down at her daughter, running a hand soothingly through platinum locks. "Now, now. Enough of such talk. There is no risk without rewards, my dear, and the sooner you learn that, the more you can enjoy life. Stop doubting yourself and cast off any second thoughts." Her words seemed to have the desired affect, as slowly, Urd calmed under her hand, taking her mother's words to heart and turning her attention once more to the occupants on the field. She remained ignorant to the amused glances cast her way by Angel Slayers close enough to have heard Urd's conversation with her mother.

"Now, who's brave enough to bet against me?" Hild called out, her gaze sweeping over the various Slayers around the room, meeting eyes that quickly ducked away and faces that gave her sheepish smiles. "Anyone?" A soft murmur rose from the surrounding demons, and an uneasy atmosphere filled the chamber. Even if Urd had technically been the one to choose the demon Hild was betting on, still, no demon in the room seemed to have the courage to rise against their leader.

Then the door to the chamber opened, and any and all conversation was brought to a halt. Two new demons entered the room, and as Hild's eyes met the newest additions, a slow, devious smile worked its way onto her features. "Mara!" She cried, her eyes sparkling with delight as the demon and his granddaughter entered the room. "You've come at just the right time."

Sending Marller off towards Hild and Urd with a gentle nudge, Mara turned his gaze to the Daimakaicho, growing weary at the look on Hild's face. "Have I now?" He queried, slowly following in his granddaughter's footsteps, treading carefully around the outer edge of the spacious arena that Shax and the other demon, Saleos, were using as a makeshift battle ground.

Hild nodded her head lightly, her smile refusing to fade, instead seeming to grow in such a manner that put the old demon on edge. "Indeed you have." Mindful of what had become two young demons stationed at her feet, Hild crossed one leg over the other, leaning forward slightly in her chair. Her expression was predatory. "You'll bet against Shax, won't you?"

It was more of a statement rather then a question, and the soft murmur grew from the legion of demons around them once more, rising to an excited pitch that only seemed to confirm Mara's sudden fear that he was about to fall into one of the Daimakaicho's 'games'.

At her feet, Marller shifted into a more comfortable position, having grown more then a little uncomfortable at the vast amount of attention that was suddenly given to her grandfather. She looked over at Urd, who had an expression that almost mirrored her own. The silver haired girl couldn't seem to hold still, eyes darting from one place to the next, shifting from Hild to Mara to the two demons that had yet to begin their mock battle anxiously. The blonde demon lightly poked her silver haired friend in the arm, and Urd wheeled on her, staring at Marller with wide indigo eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Well…"

In the time that passed since Urd and Marller's adventure with bicorns, the two had met up with one another time and time again, mostly at Hild's or Urd's request, when there was some sort of formal meeting or ceremony about to be held that required the Daimakaicho and her daughter to make an appearance, or simply out of sheer boredom on Urd's behalf. The meetings had become so common that Mara had given up on asking ahead of time, simply bringing his granddaughter with him whenever there was a chance of a meeting with Hild.

For often times, wherever Hild was, Urd most likely wasn't far behind.

As Urd softly explained the events that had led up to her current predicament to Marller, Hild regarded the older blonde demon with a thin raised eyebrow, ignoring the soft conversation at her feet as she waited for an answer. Around the room, the murmur had risen to shouts once more, various voices shouting encouragement to the Second in the hopes of him accepting Hild's 'invitation'.

The man shifted uneasily on his feet, leaning heavily on his cane. "I suppose…when you put it that way…I don't have much choice, do I?" He said slowly, eyes darting to the man he'd be betting on before shifting to Hild once more. The woman's infernal expression gave nothing away. "Fine. I accept."

Never mind the fact that the old man didn't even know what he was betting _on_.

The demons within range of hearing broke into whoops and cheers, and Hild reclined in her chair once more. "Excellent." She cooed. "You heard the demon! Five hundred on Saleos!" She shouted, ignoring the shocked outburst of 'what!?' that came from somewhere off in Mara's direction. "_And_, to make things even more interesting, for the victor of this match: any and all chores, punishments, or flat out grunt work will be sentenced to the defeated demon!" This time the outbursts came not from Mara, but from the two demons in the center of the arena, and Hild cackled with glee. "This way I know the both of you are fighting at your best, with no hopes of throwing the match in any which way."

It was a sad fact among demon kind then when a bet was placed, and the targets of the bet knew what was at stake, the demons in question would often throw a match if they thought it would benefit them in the end. However, with Hild's newest declaration, any hopes of throwing a match were destroyed, as neither party involved wanted to be stuck with the grunt work of the other, knowing full well that the victor would go out of his way to make his life all that much more complicated.

This was not a simple mock battle any more.

This was a matter of potential indentured servitude, with each demon's personal comfort at stake. There was no way in heaven either side was going to let the other win.

As the two opposing demons expressions shifted from ones of friendly rivalry to full blown malice, Mara turned to regard Hild with a grimace, one golden eyebrow twitching ever so slightly. "You….you…." Words failed him, and the man settled for a vehement glare, one that Hild shrugged off with the wave of her hand.

"Oh, stop it Mara. If it's any reassurance, the results of the match are fifty-fifty chance." She smiled in amusement. "After all, it wasn't _me_ that chose Shax." The demon gestured down to the children at her feet, causing both of the little girls to look up at the two adults with curiosity. "It was Urd."

At the mention of her name, Mara's glare shifted to Urd, and the dark skinned child flinched, a nervous laugh escaping her throat as she was uncomfortably reminded of what was at stake. Catching a small hint of the fierce glare, Marller redirected her attention to her friend.

"You are _so_ screwed."

"Bite me, Marller."

Five hundred souls…It was the closest thing demons had to currency in Niflheim. The souls of beings who had given themselves to demons in exchange for power or something similar, forming the contracts that were so well known by both otherworldly and mortal beings. True, other types of currency had been introduced to the system, but in the end, nothing seemed to truly stack up to the value of an honest-to-goodness soul.

Not that very many of the souls sentenced to Niflheim were particularly honest. Or good, for that matter.

A rise in volume from the demons around them caused the small group to turn their attention to the arena. Apparently, the two combatants had grown tired of waiting for the Daimakaicho's decree to begin, and had started without her, attacking each other with the rage of a pair of ravished tigers fighting over a lamb.

Metal glinted in the light, ringing against itself as Shax and Saleos exchanged blows, snarling and growling at one another like a pair of wild beasts. The previous fight had been mild in comparison to this one, as the two held nothing back, going so far as to bite or scratch an opponent should the opportunity present itself, and using every underhanded trick in the book to gain and maintain an advantage over the enemy.

The Slayers in the room only seemed to add to pot of chaos that was currently brewing in front of them, throwing jabs and encouragement at either side in the hopes of enticing even more violent reactions.

At Hild's feet, Urd couldn't help but join the Slayers in their jeers, her young voice all but drowned out by the louder voices that surrounded her.

"Come _on_ Shax! Who taught you how to fight? A plum spirit?" She shouted, all but leaping to her feet and joining her Slayer brethren in their taunts, pumping a small fist into the air with glee when the man in question thrust the butt end of his spear into Saleos's gut, following it up with a downward thrust on the man's head as the demon doubled over in pain, the flat end of the pole arm's blade meeting Saleos's head with a sickening 'crack' and sending the dark haired man to the floor.

Marller, not one to be left out, jumped to her feet as well. "Saleos, get up! Now isn't the time to be sleeping on the job!" She snarled, perhaps recognizing what her grandfather would loose should the downed demon fail to come out as victor. The demon staggered to his feet, and the little blonde child let out a gleeful whoop, casting a fanged grin to her white haired friend as the stockier demon tackled his taller opponent to the ground.

As Saleos attempted to turn his opponent into swiss cheese with his stiletto and Shax fought to get the shorter man off him, Urd glared at Marller. "Hey! Who's side are you on, anyways?" The bronze skin child asked, indigo eyes slanting dangerously. "I thought you were supposed to be on my side!"

Her friend returned the glare with a scowl of her own. "What? Are you nuts? Gramps was forced to bet five hundred on Saleos! He's gonna loose a bunch of souls of Saleos doesn't win!" It was funny how children, no matter what the age, or species, for that matter, recognized a great sum of money when they saw it.

Above their small heads, Hild watched the two children argue in amusement, finding herself more drawn to the soon-to-be fight between her offspring and Mara's runt then the fight that had started it. It was so cute, the petty things Urd got into arguments about.

A pained yelp from the small arena drew the Daimakaicho and the two children's attention back to the center of the room. Saleos was lying on the floor now, several feet from where Shax was picking himself up, a nasty scratch on his temple bleeding freely, the blood seeping from the wound and around his left eye. The stiletto was no where in sight. Hild's lips drew together in a silent 'oh' as she got a good look at the wound, a small part of her wondering if she should call and end to the fight right then and there.

However, a second glance showed the rage in the tall man's eyes, and a quick look at the children at her feet revealed that neither Urd nor Mara were ready for their respectable demons to call it quits quite yet. And as Saleos rolled back onto his feet, dropping into a guard position once more, Hild reclined once more in her seat, deciding to take a while longer to enjoy the two fights-her daughter's and her slayers-playing out in front of her.

Somewhere along the way, Shax had reclaimed his fallen weapon, and he now thrust it violently towards Saleos, the shorter man ducking and weaving in between the blade of the pole arm, doing his best to prevent himself from being skewered by the taller demon. Saleos's mouth was set in a grim line of concentration, no doubt looking for an opening in the taller demon's defense to exploit. The opportunity presented itself sooner then Hild thought, and the man darted forward, the stiletto that had disappeared reappearing in his hand from where it had been hidden in the sleeve of his shirt. Or was it, perhaps, a different blade altogether?

As the man lunged at Shax, the answer quickly became obvious. A high pitched 'ring' echoed throughout the room, and the taller demon grinned down at his shorter opponent. The blade of Saleos's weapon was wedged in between the guard of the stiletto Shax now gripped in his left hand, proving that the weapon Saleos held was, in fact, a different blade.

Urd's whoop mixed with the uproar that resulted at the revelation, and the taller man's grin was devious. Saleos sneered back at the taller man, his teeth bared in an angry snarl as he saw his own weapon used against him. A man trained in weapons with a longer reach, Shax should have fallen to Saleos when the man had moved in close. Obviously, Saleos hadn't expected the demon to steal away the blade he'd thought to have lost earlier in the match.

With a cry, Shax released his grip on the pole arm, lunging forward as the bladed staff clanged to the ground. There was another 'clang', and what had started off as a mock dual between two opponents of various strengths and weaknesses, quickly dwindled into something that would be considered by many, little more then a knife fight. A highly skilled knife fight, true, but a knife fight none the less.

The room echoed with the screams and shouts of demons, mixing with the harsh clang of metal as the two stationed in the center of the room attacked one another. The two danced, stepping, lunging, dodging to a beat only they seemed to hear.

And then came a sharp cry, though it was almost impossible to tell which of the two voiced it. A shrieking clang, and then one of the stilettos was sailing through the air. No one seemed to bother noticing it however, too busy cheering on the one demon that was now armed, perhaps rooting for the man to finish his opponent off.

Flung high into the air, the stiletto reached the height of its arch, before slowly starting its descent, quickly gaining speed as gravity took hold and started to pull the blade home. No one seemed to notice who was in the path of the weapon's descent.

Urd was once more on her feet, her violet eyes alight with glee, cheering happily and all but dancing at the latest turn of events, sensing victory looming over the horizon. Next to her, Marller sat hunched over, her arms crossed and a disappointed scowl on her face as she glared at the two demon combatants. The child muttered darkly under her breath, looking away from what was now a one-sided fight, looking instead to her grandfather, who stood next to Hild, a tight frown on his face.

They were _so_ screwed.

And then the flash of metal caught her eye, and Marller looked up, the first to notice the blade that was sailing in her and Urd's direction. With a yelp, the fanged child quickly scurried out of the descending weapon's path, retreating several feet from Urd, who continued in her cheers, ignorant to her friend's retreat.

"Urd, watch out!" Marller cried, her voice almost drowned out by the shouts of the others.

Somehow though, the words managed to reach the intended target, and Urd paused, one small dark fist raised above her head, blinking confused violet eyes at Marller. "Huh? What?" Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and the silver haired child looked up, youthful eyes widening as they caught sight of the blade coming at her.

The dark skinned child screamed, eyes screwing shut as she brought her arms up over her head, kneeling and curling into a tight little ball as she fought to make herself less of a target for the blade. The young girl cringed, her body tensing as she waited for the pain of the weapon striking her. It never came.

Urd slowly became aware that the screaming and shouting around her had died away, and that the room had become almost eerily silent in comparison to its former chaotic state. Indigo eyes popped open, and slowly, hesitantly, Urd uncurled from her small ball. The tan child didn't need to look around to know that she was suddenly the center of attention in the room-she could feel the silent gazes of the surrounding demons on her back.

Tentativly, the girl child looked up, finding herself bathed in her mother's shadow. Hild towered over her, her mother's eyes gleaming with something Urd didn't recognize, her mouth set in a thin line. The blade that had been about to bury itself in Urd's flesh was held tightly in Hild's hand, the woman's finger entwined around the sharp metal of the weapon.

In the silence that had descended, Hild's gaze traveled from the two demons in the center of the room and to her daughter. Urd found herself unable to speak.

"I believe this match has gone on long enough." Hild said, her voice, for all it's softness, icy cold and seeming to reverberate off the walls, traveling to each and every person in the room. "The match is over. There is no victor." And then, faster then Urd's eyes could follow, Hild flung the stiletto in her possession towards the Shax and Saleos.

The two combatants didn't even have time to respond as the knife sailed towards them, where it embedded itself in the decorated tile at their feet. Shax jumped. Saleos flinched. "I'd learn to keep a better grip on your weapons, Boys." The duo looked back at the Daimakaicho, stiffening at the hard glint in her eyes and the edge in her voice. "For the next six weeks, the two of you will be training together. During that time, if I see either of you without a weapon in hand, I won't hesitate to beat the both of you like the curs you are." Her eyes narrowed. "Is that understood?"

Mutely, the two demons nodded, neither one wanting to be the first to break the tense silence that had befallen the room. "Very good." It was as much a dismissal as any, coming from Hild. The demon turned her attention away from the duo, instead shifting to gaze down at Urd, her stared back with wide, open violet eyes. A twitch at the corner of her mouth could have been something like a smile, and Hild swooped down upon the child, hoisting the little girl into her arms and planting Urd on her hip.

"Momma?" Urd's voice was hesitant, yet curious at the same time, and Hild regarded her with a smile that was not honest.

"It's nothing you need to worry yourself over, Hon. Come on, I believe it's time we left." Suddenly, for a reason Hild couldn't explain, all that dusty paperwork in her office sounded really appealing right about now. Catching Mara's eye, Marller hiding behind him shyly, Hild nodded. "I leave them in your capable hands. Don't let them off too easily."

The man grunted in affirmation, a scarred hand reaching behind him and ruffling Marller's thick, curly hair. In a softer voice, one she was sure was meant for Hild's ears only, he said, "don't let an incident like this scare you too much, Hild. Accidents happen. We learn from them, and we make sure it doesn't happen again."

The words made little sense to Hild, but before she could order him to elaborate, Mara nodded to Urd. "I think it might be best to tend to the Little One. She looks like she's had enough for one day."

Hild tilted her head to one side, taking a moment to regard her daughter with one amethyst eye. Urd looked more then a little shook up. Her grip on Hild's dress was white knuckled, and her nostrils flared as she fought to control her breathing, eyes wide and dazed and not really focusing on any one thing. At her mother's gaze, a matching pair of violet eyes, so similar to her own, met Hild's, and a soft whine escaped Urd's throat.

Yes, it seemed that Urd's small scare had been more then enough of an experience for one day. It was time to leave. "…Right. I'll expect a full report from you later on." She said. With a brief nod, the woman departed, Urd resting on her hip and leaving the legion of Slayers in Mara's hands.

Urd, taking comfort in her mother's presence, buried her face in Hild's gown, and the taller woman lightly squeezed the child closer to her side. Her thoughts were distracted. The incident had been odd. Why had it felt like her heart had leaped into her throat when Urd had screamed? Where had that emotion-feeling both icy cold and swelteringly hot at the same time-come from when she'd reached to grab the stiletto before it could wound her daughter?

Mara's earlier words came back to her, and for a brief second, Hild paused. Fear? Had that been it? Had Hild, the Leader of Demons and Slayer of Valkyries, been afraid? Hild had seen it in other people, heard it in their voices, smelled it in the heat of battle. But she herself had never experienced it.

The woman glanced once more to the child hanging from her hip. That feeling…like a valkyrie's blade stabbing into her heart, amplifying her senses in a way she'd never experienced before. It could be nothing _but_ fear.

What a powerful, dangerous emotion.

So then…she had been afraid. Fearful for her daughter's sake. The woman hummed in thought. She'd need to look into this new revelation about herself a bit more. But it could wait for another time. Gazing down at her daughter's silver hair, Hild was unaware of the soft, almost gentle smile that graced her features. Yes, such thoughts could be put aside for later contemplation.

Right now, Urd needed her.

~*~

A/N: Oh…dear…gods. Finally, this chapter is up! Gods above, this thing seemed to drag out forever when I was writing it! Sorry for the long wait. Nothing really big happening here, it being more of a filler then anything else. The next chapter should be a bit more entertaining.

Bah. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It felt like I was paying too much attention to the fight rather then anything else, so for all of you who've lasted this long, again, sorry about that. But now that I have this god awful thing out of the way, the next update shouldn't take nearly as long.

Of course, I still need to write up an outline for it, but at least I have a small idea of where I'm going with it. Unlike this chapter. Did I mention how I felt like I was ramming a head against a brick wall writing this up? Anyways, you all know the drill by now. Questions, comments, complaints? Let me hear 'em, and I'll see if I can't learn from them.

'Till next time.


	4. A Romp Through the Woods

Origins

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"And then, before I knew it, she was on me, wearing a face that would have cracked stone, she was so angry." Mara's voice was gruff and strong, and his red eyes gleamed in the artificial light. "Her weapon of choice was a halberd, and the blade that rested upon its staff was etched with so many divine runes and spells that it was blinding to look at." The old demon moved through a series of gestures, as though the hand movements would help him describe just how deadly a weapon the Valkyrie he spoke of was wielding. "As for me, I'd lost my weapon to another Valkyrie-it was lost, somewhere on the grounds below, embedded up to the hilt in some angel's chest." The blonde demon drew his hands to his chest, covering his heart with his right hand splayed open.

"And damned if she didn't skewer me alive with that pike of hers. I swear that thing went straight through my collarbone." The scarred demon brought both hands to the area he spoke of. His hands curling into fists, he placed them one on top of the other, creating the image of a man struggling to pull something out of the inflicted area.

Across from him, her eyes wide and attentive, Urd listened quietly, her face filled with rapt attention and wonder as her mind's eye danced with images of Valkyries and Slayers brutally attacking one another. The child sat cross-legged on the ground, the stone tile that decorated the room a cool contrast to the warm air around her. As the old man continued his tale, the bronze skinned child leaned forwards in interest, refusing to miss a word of the Slayer's story.

Next to her, elbow resting on a knee and her head propped up with one hand, Marller sat, an expression that was a complete opposite of Urd's on her face. The child looked to be on the edge of falling asleep, half lidded, partially glazed over eyes that matched her grandfather's gazing upon the world with something beyond disinterest.

"…and that reminds me of another time, when I was…" the elder demon trailed off into another story, causing Urd to bite back a frustrated moan as she leaned back once more. He was doing it just to spite her, she knew it. Just when things were getting good in the story, the Old Man would wander off into a story completely unrelated to his current tale. What number was this? The third, fifth time? The child closed one eye, recalling the different tales that had ranged anywhere from Mara's days as a new recruit under Hild to the trouble Hild would get him into while off duty to how the old demon had met his mate, and came up with four. Counting the stories off on one hand, the platinum haired child nodded. Including the newest story, it was five in all.

The indigo eyed little girl looked over to the red eyed child next to her. How could she stand it? Urd silently wondered, a small bubble of awe rising in her chest. To be stuck listening to the Old Man's stories day in and day out-Marller must have had the patience and attention of a saint. It was amazing that her friend hadn't fallen asleep yet or something, with how bored Marller looked. _I wonder how she does that._ Urd silently mused. _I don't thinks she's so much as blinked since the Old Man went into his second story. Maybe she can teach me how to do that later on…_

The dark skinned child's thoughts trailed off, and Urd returned her attention to Mara, finding that the man had become unusually quiet. The silver haired child looked up, a small, puzzled frown appearing on her youthful features at the silence.

Only to release a high pitched yelp as the head of Mara's cane crashed down onto her skull.

Dark arms automatically went to cradle her head, wrapping around it and protecting it from further harm as Urd glared up at the older demon, teeth bared in a snarl that would have been fierce had she not been so young appearing on her face. "What was that for!?" The girl cried, rubbing the now-tender spot on her head. What had she done _this_ time? She couldn't recall doing anything to warrant a whack in the head from that damned cane.

Above her, the older demon scowled. "You weren't paying attention." He growled.

Recent events in one of the various mortal realms had lead to a sudden increase in paperwork for Hild. The details were sketchy at best, revolving around yet another war and the various wishes and contracts that were being fulfilled by both divine and damned entities. Hild's job had required that she keep close track of both sides, making sure neither god nor demon gained too much of an advantage, and it was consuming more time then she would have initially wished.

It had become so bad, in fact, that Hild's patience had started to wane thin with those around her, a sign of disaster for any demon in her employment. There were several times she'd almost lost her temper with her own daughter, when Urd had been guilty of little more then being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And for all the fact that Urd was used to her mother's often times violent shifts in moods, Hild had decided it would probably be best to have the child out of the area that the Daimakaicho used for her office. It was, after all, a time when Hild's job brought a great deal of stress to the demon, and the last thing she needed to do was lose her temper with her daughter and do something that she'd quickly come to regret.

And so the silver haired Daimakaicho had done the first thing that'd popped into her head.

She sent Urd to Mara.

The man had been less then thrilled to discover that he'd been recruited to babysit Hild's offspring, but one rather irate look from Hild quickly destroyed any will or desire to argue the point. As it was, it seemed there was a small bit of fortune on Hild's orders in the long run. Marller had once again been dumped on the old demon's shoulders anyways, and hopefully with Urd there, the two could entertain each other and make Mara's job just a little easier.

He was still waiting on that 'easier' part.

The indigo eyed girl scowled, rubbing the sore spot on her head one last time before letting the appendage drop into her lap once more. The Old Man _would_ whack her for something so stupid, even if she'd only looked away for a second. "So?" She asked, her voice on the edge of a whine. "Marller isn't paying attention either!" Urd pointed to her friend, who hadn't so much as twitched at the mention of her name. "How come I got hit and she didn't?"

The older demon turned his crimson gaze from Urd to his granddaughter, his expression shifting from irritation to thoughtfulness as he regarded the child. "Marller!" He snapped, stamping the end of his cane down onto the black tile stone where it produced an odd, hollow 'thump' where wood met stone. "What weapon did my opponent impale me on?" He demanded, red eyes gleaming wickedly in the light of the chamber.

This time, at the sound of her name, the young demon snapped to attention, her posture straightening as the fanged child raised her head from where it rested on her hand. "Halberd! Glowing and blinding and all that stuff!" She shouted, her back stiffening as she felt her grandfather's piercing gaze on her younger form.

The man nodded mutely, turning his attention away from Marller and back to Urd. As his attention shifted, Marller relaxed, slumping once more into her previous stance, though the somewhat glazed, bored look that had haunted her previously refused to return. Instead she sent the platinum haired child at her side a reproachful glare before looking up at Mara, a somewhat weary expression on her face.

Mara paid the look no attention, instead gracing Urd with raised, bushy eyebrow, as if silently asking the Daimakaicho's offspring, _satisfied now?_

Urd let out a discontent huff, crossing slim arms over her chest and looking away with a pout, somewhat upset that she'd been hit but that Marller, the one who Urd _knew_ hadn't been paying attention to one word of the Old Man's stories, had gotten off scott-free. Unfazed by the violet eyed girl's attitude-probably used to it, if he recalled his own daughters' attitudes when they were at such an age-the elder shrugged, stepping back a few feet and moving to lean heavily against his cane, regarding both Urd and Marller with thoughtful ruby eyes. Perhaps it was time for something else to occupy the children's time.

Finally the blonde man sighed, a look of exhaustion traveling across his face and making Mara appear even older then he initially looked. He was getting too old for this crap. "How about we go outside for a little while?" He asked. The two gleeful outbursts that greeted his ears were more then enough of an answer for him.

~*~

Mara lived on the outskirts of Niflheim's capital. The territory he called his own sat on the border of the Myrkwood forest, his home enveloped by the surrounding dark woodland and masking it from the view of any who might search for it. The house was large-two stories of highly decorated and elaborate wood and stone, with the traditional spires that most buildings in Niflheim were composed of rising in jagged patterns across the rooftop.

The Old Man lived in the area with his wife-a woman whose temper was as short as her tongue was sharp. His mate was a second-class, category 3 demon that spent more time at her job in the city then back home with her mate. It was something neither demon seemed to mind too much-several life times spent together had lead to something of a rift in a relationship that was already founded on a love-hate motto, and the more time spent away from each other meant less of a chance of either demon, quite literally, trying to kill one another.

Needless to say, with a wife who preferred the company that came with her job rather to the solitude that came from living with the somewhat reclusive Mara, the inside of the living quarters seemed more fitting for a bachelor rather then a married man. Weapons of various shapes and sizes lined the brick walls, polished to the point where they gleamed in the artificial lighting of the chambers. Other items of various origins lined the perimeter of the rooms, and the various pieces of furniture that lay scattered in various places appeared to be made of some dark leather like material.

On another day, Urd and Marller would have been found relaxing on Mara's furniture, perhaps even playing some game of some sort, as the children had been known to do on occasion. However, the days had grown increasingly hot as Niflheim's version of summer steadily worked its way into the environment. It left the seats uncomfortably warm to the point where flesh seemed to try and fuse with the artificial material that made up the various chairs and couches in the rooms, and warm furniture was quickly traded for the semi-cool stone tile floor.

And it was on said tiled floor that two pairs of bare feet lightly bounded about, eagerly moving from one room to another as they easily navigated the quarters, coming to an almost sliding halt as Urd and Marller reached the door that lead out into the world beyond. Behind them, Mara followed at a slower pace, watching as the two girls kneeled down beside one another, sliding on sandals meant to protect the soles of young feet.

It only took a few minutes, and soon enough, the trio were out the door, Urd and Marller excitedly dashing out of the courtyard that remained free of the surrounding dark trees and into the forest. The outside air was warmer then the temperature inside the house, but the near-constant shadows that always seemed to engulf the forest more then made up for it, providing cool patches under the dense foliage of leaves and branches from the overhanging treetops.

The constant mist of Niflheim was thinner in the forest then it was in the city. Water was a somewhat scarce resource for the trees, leaving the surrounding plant life to greedily absorb any liquid that happened to pass through the forest. Niflheim's mist was one such resource, and it left the environment dry and clear, allowing one to glimpse the sky easily should one find an open space through the heavy canopy.

Even now, if Urd looked carefully, the platinum haired child could see the hazy red of her world, the sky's color changing from it's original dark purple to a lighter red as the constantly burning flames of Muspell rose in violence and intensity, signaling the coming of Niflheim's summer. In later days, the sky would change once again, leaving behind what would become a blood red sky to lighten to an eerie pale violet as Muspell's flames died away only to be replaced with the reflective white of Niflheim's winter ice.

But such a time was still a long ways off, and so, for the moment, Urd relished her time in the shade of black oaks, smiling cheekily as she chased after Marller, the breeze a warm, constant presence that danced through her short hair and nipped at dark flesh left uncovered by her dress. Ahead of her, Marller lead on, following some invisible trail as the fanged girl bounded over fallen tree trunks and boulders, a confident smile on her face as she reveled in the opportunity to play 'leader'.

The forest beyond Mara's home was one of the few areas Marller was more familiar with in comparison to Urd. Having already spent a great deal of her life in her grandfather's territory, it only made sense the Marller knew the area as well as she did, though the knowledge had been something of a challenge for Urd to accept. Upon first visiting the area several months back, Urd had believed the forest to be similar to the rolling plains outside her own home, and had fearlessly ventured into the woods with Marller at her side, despite the other girl's protests. Needless to say, it wasn't long before Urd had gotten them both hopelessly lost, and it was only through Marller's past experience with the forest that the two managed to find their way back to Mara's home, returning to a _rather_ upset Mara and a Hild who appeared to be unsure as to whether she should break down into laughter or scold the children right then and there.

After that, it didn't take much convincing for Urd to allow Marller to take up the role of 'leader' whenever the two were out exploring the forest.

Even now, despite the fact that the Old Man had disappeared from sight, left in the wake of Urd and Marller's dust as the two had scampered off into the woods, Marller's steps were sure and sound. It was obvious the blonde girl new where they were going, even if the surrounding fauna all looked the same by Urd's standards. The fact that neither she nor Marller could pick up any signs of Mara was another plus-a sign that, for all that Mara was probably a good distance behind them, he was sill aware of their location, tracking the children through the forest as one might track a rabbit or deer.

It was something of a comfort; a sign that, even should Marller stumble into an area they were unfamiliar with, someone would be right behind them, ready to lead them back to safety once Mara caught up with them. And when one's mind was still fresh with the memories of growing lost in such a huge forest, the knowledge was more then a little important.

"Hey Marller, where are we going?" Urd asked, ducking under an overhanging branch that had snapped from its tree of origin, but had yet to fall completely to the ground below.

Ahead of her, Urd saw her friend's shoulders rise and fall in a shrug. "Dunno." She called back, not even bothering to turn and look at the silver haired girl. "I was thinking of this really cool place I found last time I was here, but I only found it once. I was kinda hoping we'd find it again today."

Urd's ears perked up at the word 'cool' and dawning interest rose into her face. "Yeah? What makes it so special from any other place in the forest?"

This time Marller looked over her shoulder at her friend, paying for it as she tripped over a rock buried in the ground. The blonde demon stumbled several feet before regaining her footing, and she turned to glare at her companion as the sound of Urd's open laughter rang throughout the forest.

"What's the matter? First day walking?" Urd's voice was thick with amusement.

"Shut up!" Marller cried, and embarrassed blush rising in her cheeks. "It isn't funny!"

Urd snickered once more before shoving her laughter away, though her violet eyes still danced in humor. Marller's glare refused to fade, however, but with a snort, Urd waved her off. "Alright, alright, so it wasn't funny." She said, further pushing away the incident before the laughter lying just below the surface had a chance to rise up and overpower her once more. "So back to what we were talking about. Why is this place so special again?"

Marller sent the bronze child one last parting scowl before turning away, moving once more through the forest and this time, keeping her eyes on the ground, where she was sure to spot any hidden rocks that would threaten to embarrass her again. "It's this really cool place that doesn't have any trees or anything-it just opens up into this little clearing with nothing but blood grass and stuff." The little girl risked a glance behind her, allowing a small smirk at the curious expression on Urd's face. "I found all sorts a cool things there when I found it-you know, like bones and teeth and feathers and stuff. I think it must have been some sort of nesting ground or something." She turned her attention back to the ground, missing the raised eyebrow that arched on Urd's dark face.

"A nesting ground?" She queried, tilting her head to one side in curiosity. "What, is it abandoned or something?"

Another shrug from her friend. "Dunno." The fanged girl called out. "Like I told you, I was only there once."

Urd casually shrugged a shoulder, falling silent as her mind traveled to other thoughts. A nest was cool and all, but it wasn't really her thing. She'd never understood Marller's strange fascination for animal remains-bones, discarded feathers and the like-but the child figured it might be a good way to kill some time.

Her thoughts drifting once more, another question reared it's head, and once more Urd asked, "Hey Marller, that reminds me. How do you do it?"

Her words caught Marller off guard, and the fanged child paused, a foot coming to rest on a fallen log as she turned to regard Urd with questioning crimson eyes. "Do what?"

Urd came to a halt as well. "You know…" The darker skinned child waved her arms in front of her as she tried to come up with the proper words. "Listening to your gramps and stuff. How do you do it without falling asleep or something?"

The blonde demon stared at her friend blankly for several seconds before her young mind finally processed what Urd was asking her. She grinned. "Oh, that?" She asked. "Who said I wasn't asleep?" With that she turned away, stepping over the log and continuing on her path.

Urd's eyes trailed after her for a brief second before it dawned on her that Marller wasn't going to wait for her. She quickly chased after her friend. "So then…you were asleep?" The silver haired girl asked, her face a mask of curiosity as she stared at the back of Marller's blonde head. "But…your eyes were open the entire time!"

Marller nodded. "Uh huh." She grunted. "It's this weird trick I learned. Mama said it has to do with my magic or something-something about dreams and nightmares and…sub-con-cious or something. I dunno, she started talking funny after that."

Urd raised a silver eyebrow. "Huh. Weird." She said. "I wonder if I can do stuff like that…" the little girl trailed off, indigo eyes growing distant as she imagined what sort of magical abilities she'd one day grow into. Images of a young Urd freely wielding ferocious lightning-like her mother's magic-danced in her mind's eye, and the child grinned. _One day, I'll have magic like Mom's, and then I can do whatever I want!_ The thought brought forth a wave of wistful giddiness, and the child bit her lip, holding back the small sigh that threatened at the back of her throat. _Adults have all the fun…_

Ahead of her, she saw Marller slow her pace, bringing Urd away from her thoughts. Past her, Urd glimpsed the surrounding dark trees thinning, and what looked to be a clearing spreading out into the surrounding area. As Marller came to a halt at the edge of the clearing, Urd joined her, neither one venturing past the cover of trees.

"Is this the place?" Urd asked, violet eyes wide and curious as they slowly scanned the area beyond the tree line.

The area certainly seemed to match the description of what Marller had been talking about. The clearing was fairly big-large enough to hold a small home should any demon stumble upon it and take a liking to the area, and practically void of any trees save for the towering black oaks on the forest's edge. Where fallen leaves and other such dead debris parted, dark red bloodgrass sprouted, engulfing the field and creating an illusion of a permanent sunset. The mist was thicker in the field, yet still no where as thick as the mist the clung to the city, and as Urd looked up, she could easily make out the sky, the light red seeming to reflect the darker bloodgrass like some strange twisted mirror.

Next to her, Marller shook her head. "No, the place I found was a lot smaller then this place. 'Sides, there aren't any bones or feathers or stuff around here. I already checked."

Urd raised an eyebrow. "Then what are we doing here?"

As if to answer her question, a high pitched, raptor like shriek penetrated the surrounding air, and a large shadow appeared within the bloodgrass. From the sky above, a large bird descended, it's red plumage seeming to meld into the surrounding landscape. Another shriek, and it appeared as though the bird-perhaps the size of a large vulture or condor-was about to attack Marller.

However, before Urd could shout a warning, or even pull the blonde from the path of ever closer talons, Marller did something quite unexpected. Rather then running out of the path the seemed to scream 'death' in Urd's eyes, Marller walked towards the descending talons, her arms opening as if readying herself to embrace her encroaching doom.

"Marller, what are you doing!? That bird's gonna skewer you like Mara's Valkyrie!"

And then the bird was upon her, wings fluttering in front of its body as the creature slowed its pace, before gently landing in Marller's arms, it's feet curling underneath it's body as it lightly grabbed onto the girl's limbs. It regarded first Marller, then Urd with sharp golden eyes, and a strange cooing escaped it throat, as though greeting the two children. The large bird now resting in her arms, Marller looked over at her friend with a grin.

"What was that about a Valkyrie, Urd?" She asked, her face insufferably innocent, belying the amusement in her voice and the laughter in her eyes.

Urd crossed her arms over her chest, scowling darkly as she realized that she'd once again jumped to conclusions. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up Marller." The child growled out, marching once more to her friend's side and out into the field. Her expression lightening from an angry scowl to curiosity, Urd set her gaze on the winged creature, observing the bird carefully. "What is it?" She asked.

At first appearance, Urd thought the bird to be some sort of sub-species of phoenix, but the thought quickly left her mind. For one thing, phoenixes were not native to Niflheim-the environment was much too harsh for them, despite being one of the more resilient species living on the tenth dimensional plane. They much preferred the clear, open skies of Heaven to the bleak, hazy Niflheim. On a second glance, the violet eyed child though that perhaps she was staring at one of the Feng Huang, a race of birds similar in build and coloring to a phoenix, yet holding a more…rooster like appearance in comparison to their raptor like cousins.

And for all the fact that the bird currently running its beak through Marller's hair was indeed have a more chicken-like quality to it-flat, triangular beak, a large, distinctive red crown and matching waddle, not to mention the overflowing long tail-Urd was fairly sure the bird wasn't of that race either.

This time Marller did laugh. "This is Fjalar." She said. "He's an old family friend that moved down here all the way from Jotunheim after I was born. He's been with us for as long as I can remember, and this field is where he lives." The bird-a rooster. Urd was certain it was a rooster now, despite the raptor eyes and feet- released another strange little coo before directing his attention to Urd.

Urd blinked in surprise. "Jotunheim? Isn't that where you were born or something?"

Jotunheim was a city located high within the mountains of Niflheim. The area was known for its near constant winter, even when Muspell's flames rose to their highest peaks in Niflheim. Both Jotunheim and Muspell were two of Niflheim's largest cities, and chances were if a demon wasn't born in one city, he or she was born in the other. Only on rare occasions was a demon ever born in Niflheim itself. And Urd was one such exception.

Marller shook her head, shifting her weight from one foot to another before finally sighing and throwing her cargo of feathers, talons, and beak into the air. The rooster-Fjalar, let out an undignified squawk at the little girl's action. Taking to the air, the red rooster circled the clearing Urd and Marller were in once before finding a branch suitable to hold it's weight. It glared down at the two children with eyes belying a hidden intelligence.

Urd frowned at the rooster. It reminded her of another rooster that had taken up residence in Hild's castle a long time ago. That one had a darker red plumage to it-like spilled blood in comparison to the ruby red of the bird in the trees. Hild had never given it a name though. She'd only said that the thing was important. Something about Rag-no-roc or something.

"No, I was born in Muspell, like my Mama." Marller said, shaking arms that had grown tired after holding such a large bird. "My dad is from Jotunheim." The fanged girl gave her arms one last shake before stepping further into the field, taking lead once more.

Urd fell in place by her side. Having not left the field for the trees once more, there was plenty of room for the two children to walk next to each other, rather then the single file paths that Marller seemed so fond of. "Oh yeah…Mirmir, right?" At her friend's nod, Urd grinned, continuing. "I always used to get his name confused with that one Second Gen, Murmur."

Marller nodded as they came to the edge of the clearing. "Yeah. That was the only reason I could actually _remember_ Murmur's name. The two sound so alike that it's hard to forget 'em." She paused at the tree line, looking back over her shoulder to where Fjalar sat perched, observing them both silently. "See ya Fjalar!" She shouted, waving to the rooster before disappearing once more into the forest.

After a moment's hesitation, Urd waved as well, deciding it was probably better to follow her friend's example. She was still too young to tell what creatures were sentient and what were little more then dumb beasts, but the dark skinned child figured it was better to wave goodbye to an animal then risk upsetting a creature that probably shared her level of intelligence. Besides, her mother had raised her to at least look like she was trying to be polite. One never knew when they might need an ally, and her mom had once said that comrades appear in the strangest of places.

If the rooster was indeed as intelligent as Urd suspected it to be, it did a fine job of hiding it. Not so much as a crow of departure rose from its throat, but Urd could feel it's lingering gaze on her back long after she followed Marller back into the forest.

~*~

It was several minutes afterwards that the bicorn emerged into the clearing. His red feathers blending in perfectly with the forest's leaves, the creature took no notice of Fjalar. Instead, the bicorn-a male, who made up for his almost stunted horns with a pair of fangs long enough to be mistaken for tusks-lowered his muzzle to the ground an inhaled.

The creature snorted. Little demons had been through the clearing recently. They dare trod upon his territory? The beast raised it's head, eyes a poisonous shade of green narrowing dangerously. Such an act was unforgivable. This was _his _territory, not theirs.

He'd laid claim to the area several months ago, after a challenge with the head stallion of his herd had left him defeated. The stallion and the Lead Mare had chased the male out of their territory, the ones he'd known as brothers and sisters following unquestioningly behind the two Alphas decision.

The equine-like creature shook himself at the memory. Yes…he'd been little more then a stupid foal back then. Young and full of himself, he'd believed himself worthy of courting the Lead Female. She'd rejected him, of course-bicorns mated for life, after all-but it had not discouraged him. He'd simply kill the stallion that was her mate.

That, of course, had not gone as planned either. Looking back, the bicorn decided he should be grateful to the two. He could have gotten off a lot worse then simply being exiled from the heard. He knew, better then any demon, just how vicious a bicorn could be.

And the death a foolhardy buck would not have greatly affected his herd.

The male tossed his head, sending a mane a beautiful shade of blue-black flying. But that was in the past. He was older now, and more experienced. He'd found new territory, and with any luck, he'd run into some solitary mare looking to create a herd of her own.

But before he could do that…There were now two little demons that needed to be exterminated.

The bicorn rose to his hind legs, screeching a cry that sent many prey-beasts scurrying for the safety of their dens, pawing the air with talon like feet. Long had it been since he'd tasted the flesh of little prey-demons! The male fell back onto all fours, baring his teeth in an ugly snarl. Yes…he'd hunt down these two intruders. He'd slaughter them, and as their blood soaked into the ground, other bicorn would come, drawn to the scent of a fresh kill. He'd find a mate, and the two would feast upon the two corpses, a victory feast that would signal the start of a new herd in his territory. It would be glorious! Let the hunt begin!

Another deafening shriek, and the roan bicorn launched himself into the forest, his steps the silent footfalls of a predator on the hunt despite his large size.

And as the roan disappeared into the forest, Fjalar rose from his perch, large wings flapping wildly as he sought a good breeze on which to glide on.

This would not do, he thought to himself. His Little Fangs and the Little Daimakaicho were in danger, and just where was Mara in all this? The rooster squawked in disdain, wheeling around the field and launching himself in the direction the children had come from.

Two little demons were no match for a full grown bicorn. And neither was he, when he took a moment to think about it. But that was what Angel Slayers were for. Mara would not approve of a lone bicorn taking to his territory without his consent. And he would be unforgiving if said bicorn was going after his blood-kin.

With such thoughts in mind, Fjalar increased his speed, sharp eyes scanning the red treetops for any sign of the demon in question, knowing full well he was on a time limit.

It was only a matter of time before the bicorn found the children.

And Marller and Urd could only avoid the fangs of a bicorn for so long.

~*~

A/N: A little smaller then usual, but oh well. Hopefully I gave you guys enough of a backstory on everything mention in this chapter that it wasn't _too_ confusing for you it is, you know the drill-tell me, and I'll see if I can't make things a little clearer for you. Hope you enjoyed it, and we'll get to see what happens when Urd and Marller meet out little friend in the next chapter.


	5. Hide and Seek, Cat and Mouse

Origins

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Marller, just how long are you planning on looking for this stupid nest of yours anyway?" Urd complained, ducking under a low hanging branch and leaping over a fallen tree trunk with disdain. "We've been out here forever, and I still don't see any clearing like the one you were talking about. I'm getting bored."

In front of her, Urd was only aware of the clenching hands that signified Marller's growing frustration with her friend. The silver haired girl was unaware of the red eyes that narrowed with irritation every time Urd thought to voice her feelings, or the soft sneer that lined her face whenever Marller bit back some snarky retort of her own.

It had been almost an hour since the children's departure from Fjalar's field. An hour of ducking branches that still managed to get tangled in hair, tripping over roots hidden ever so discreetly in long dead foliage, of nearly loosing sight of the trail the two followed, and _oh_ so much more. And what did they have to show for it? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. It was a small wonder that neither children had gotten into a fight yet, as it was obvious tempers were slowly waning thin.

Perhaps it was the knowledge that, aside from each other, the children were on their own in the forest until Mara caught up with them. Perhaps Urd was afraid of getting Marller so worked up that the little blonde would ditch her darker friend, leaving Urd to fend for herself until Mara found her. Perhaps Marller was afraid of the consequences that would result should such just such an event occur.

Whatever the reason, it kept the two friends from each others throats for the moment, so it couldn't have been all bad.

"I told ya' before Urd. _I don't know._ I only found the stupid place once!" Marller snapped, whipping around to face her friend with an angry snarl on her face as her temper finally got the better of her.

Urd flinched at the hostility in her friend's demeanor. "Well then why are we still looking for it?" She growled, her own frustration flowing into her words and darkening her expression in a manner reminiscent of her mother. "We aren't gonna find it out here, Marller. I'm bored, I'm tired, I'm hot and sweaty, and if one more stupid branch pokes me, I'm gonna go set this whole forest on fire!" She snarled, coming to a halt with one foot resting on an upraised rock, her hands slowly curling into fists with each word spoken.

"Ha! You set a forest on fire?" Marller barked in laughter. "You couldn't even light a match stick on fire Urd. You don't know how to use magic yet!" The fanged child crossed her arms over her chest, a smile of contempt on her face at Urd's smoldering expression.

Urd's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and anger. "So what if I can't use magic?" She hissed, eyes glittering like the gems they so resembled. "I don't need magic to start a fire, Marller. There's plenty of other ways!" She replied hotly, taking a threatening step towards her friend.

Marller huffed in disdain. "You know what? You're just full of bull today." She accused. "Just 'cause there's other ways to burn a forest doesn't mean you can still do it." She declared, baring her teeth in a manner too hostile to be a smile as Urd's expression further darkened in rage. "You don't even hav-"

She didn't have a chance to complete her sentence as Urd lunged at her, a small dark fist colliding with Marller's cheek. The girl stumbled back, eyes widening in surprise at the attack and a hand moving to cover the stricken area. Red eyes narrowed in pain and anger, and with a scream, Marller moved to retaliate, thrusting her left foot out in a kick she'd seen Angel Slayer's use in training exercises.

There was a yelp as the kick hit home, and things spiraled down hill from there.

So much for fear keeping the children from each other's throats.

Birds scattered from treetops and prey-beasts scurried into dens as the two girls fought. A fist connected with Marller's eye. A kick landed in Urd's stomach. Bites, scratches, screams and yells. Small predators stalking rodents suddenly found their dinner interrupted while the prey in question found themselves fortunate enough to live another day with the noise Urd and Marller produced. More then one creature would return to their dens angry and upset over the loss of their meal.

Yet the children remained ignorant of such things, too focused on tearing each other apart to bother thinking of the consequences their ruckus brought about.

They were off the trail that Marller had been following now, something both girls failed to notice in their fighting. Off the beaten path, the forest became thicker, the trees growing closer to one another with bushes that fought for every ounce of free space that might give them just a _little_ more sunlight. Rocks grew into boulders and the landscape gradually became hillier.

Yet still the girls remained ignorant to the change in landscape. In fact, it wasn't until the two small combatants had reached the peak of some small hill that the two actually began to notice that the trail Marller had been leading them on had disappeared. That is, noticing it in the way that Marller tripped over a fallen log and, with a well timed shove from Urd, suddenly found herself falling onto her back and rolling down said hill.

The fanged girl screamed, crashing through various bushes and shrubbery as the undergrowth assaulted her small frame with thorned branches and barbed vines, fauna reaching out seemingly to snatch at bare flesh, golden hair, dark clothes, _anything_ their branches could catch hold of. She finally came to a halt at the base of the hill, where a tree trunk prevented her momentum from carrying Marller any further.

For a few seconds, the girl simply lay still, a soft moan escaping her throat as pain from newly forming bruises and scratches traveled to her brain and informed the girl that yes, she was still alive. Ruby eyes blinked dazedly, and slowly Marller sat up, carefully looking herself over for any serious injuries such as broken bones or deep cuts. She didn't bother repressing the sigh of relief when she found nothing worse then several new scratches and a couple of tears in her outfit.

"..ler, are you okay!?" Urd's voice sounded worried, for all the fact that she and Marller had been fighting rather aggressively a few minutes ago. The blonde child snorted. Figures. Urd's mood swings were as violent and as unpredictable as her mother's at times. One minute she could be ready to tear out a person's liver, the next she'd be dancing with that very same person. It was enough to drive the demon crazy some times.

Grimacing, Marller slowly rose to her feet, popping out of the bush that she'd some how tumbled into. She took a deep breath, readying herself to shout back her status to Urd and alleviate any fears the darker girl might have had on Marller's behalf.

The words died in her throat, however, when she came face to face with a pair of poisonous green eyes.

The bicorn snorted, inhaling the scent of the small demon in front of it before its lips parted back in a snarl, giving a wide eyed Marller a full view of its carnivorous fangs. This close, they were yellow and dull, and every now and then some fleck of an unknown origin lay stuck between one fang and another. Its breath was rancid, reeking of rotten flesh and stomach acid.

Marller screamed.

The bicorn lunged.

And it was only through a lucky tree root that Marller escaped the jaws of the beast, tripping and falling backwards as the bicorn's mouth instead filled with the leaves of a nearby bush rather then the fanged child's flesh. Taking the opportunity granted to her, Marller quickly scrambled to her feet, making a run for a dense cluster of foliage as the bicorn drew back, tossing its head from side to side as it spat out leaves and twigs. As Marller's blonde head disappeared beneath a bush, the bicorn reared back onto its hind legs and shrieked before falling back to all fours and giving chase, its eyes thick with bloodlust.

~*~

"Marller?"

Marller's screams had not gone unheard. Resting one foot on the very log that had sent her companion tumbling head over heel down the hillside, Urd peered down the slope, indigo eyes narrowing as she sought out her friend through the thick foliage. Nothing but reds and blacks of various shades met her gaze, and the frown that had appeared on Urd's face after Marller's disappearance deepened.

Another scream, this one by a voice that was not demon in origin.

"Marller!"

Urd felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She knew the owner of that last scream. Had the Old Man mentioned anything about a bicorn herd in his forest? Urd shook her head, sending her short hair flying. She couldn't remember, but at the moment, it didn't matter.

She needed to find her friend.

Taking a deep breath, Urd launched herself from the fallen log, crashing through the underbrush with legs pumping and gaining speed as gravity and momentum pulled at her body. "Marller!" She shouted, ears alert for any rustle of a bush, any scream or cry that might have been demonic in origin. Another scream pierced the air, muffled by the surrounding woodlands, yet at the same time seeming to come from every direction at once. "Marller, where are you?" Her words came out louder this time, a scream of her own as she fought to be heard in the thick forest.

"Marl-" Her foot snagged in a tree root, and with a yelp, Urd fell to her hands and knees. Strangely enough, it was the same tree root that had saved Marller several minutes prior. "Ow…" The child grunted, moving to push herself to her feet, only to drop down to her stomach when a pair of dark hooves stomped into her range of vision.

The child clamped both hands around her mouth, muffling what was to be the start of a panicked scream as the bicorn snorted, pawing the earth angrily and leaving deep furrows in its wake.

It must have been drawn to Urd's own screams when it had lost track of Marller, perhaps hoping to find an easier meal in the Daimakaicho's daughter rather then in the Angel Slayer's grandchild. If that was the case, the root she'd tripped over may very well have saved Urd's life, sending the silver haired girl to the ground and out of sight just as the bicorn had emerged from the trees.

How ironic, for the two children to be saved by the very same tree root.

The bicorn above her head, Urd found herself frozen, darning not to make a move lest she somehow draw its attention to her presence. Her mother had taught her a fair bit about bicorns since Urd's initial run-in with them during what had been dubbed 'A Meeting with Madness' amongst other Angel Slayers. And now, with one such creature almost on top of her, no doubt thirsting for her blood, Urd found herself easily recalling Hild's words.

"_If you're going to continue your adventures of riding Lich and her herd, you might as well learn about bicorns as a whole, Urd. The last thing I need is to come home to you dead because you couldn't escape some mad mule."_

The child squeezed indigo eyes shut, drawing quick, nervous breaths through her nose-she didn't dare open her mouth-as the bicorn above her pranced about her hiding space.

"_The first thing you need to know about bicorns is that their eyesight isn't the best when it comes to predators. Their eyes are drawn to movement more then anything else. In fact, you could stand in an entire herd of angry bicorn, and so long as you didn't move, the beasts would think you little more then a small tree that smelled strangely of demons."_

Ah, yes, she remembered that lesson very well. Hild had gone out of her way to prove that point, in fact, by dragging a wide eyed Urd by the scruff of her dress into the field Lich and Sargasso had claimed as their own. There, mother and daughter had sat in the middle of the field, and with a small bolt of her magic and a smile that both terrified and thrilled Urd, Hild had sent the entire lot of bicorns into a wild, crazed frenzy of aggression.

Urd could still feel the exhilaration of that moment, sitting as still as a statue in her mother's lap as one bicorn charged another, two others rising to their hind legs and kicking at each other with claw-hooves harder then diamonds and sharper then razors. Their screams had filled the air and echoed in her ears, and there were times they had come so close that Urd could touch them if she'd dared to move.

And through it all, not one bicorn had even so much as glanced their way.

Now, Urd found herself applying those very same tactics Hild had drilled into her head to her current predicament, allowing instincts that screamed at her to 'freeze' run amok as she silently willed the large roan to move on. Seconds became minutes, minutes stretched into hours, hours became eternities. And after what felt like several lifetimes, but was actually closer to three minutes, the stallion let loose a frustrated scream that sent birds flying, then, with a swish of a dark tail, it disappeared off in one direction, leaving Urd alone once more.

It wasn't until several minutes after the sound of stomping hooves had faded that Urd opened her eyes. Several more passed before the bronze child could summon the strength to rise to her feet and leave her hiding place, eyes still wide from an experience that could have become rather dire. The child took several deep breaths, hoping to calm the deafening beats of her heart enough that she could hear past it and listen for Marller once more.

With the passing of the bicorn, the forest had grown silent once more. It was an uneasy silence, one which spoke of predators lounging in shadows, coiled and waiting to spring on the unwary.

Marller's cries had faded as well.

Swallowing a throat that had grown dry, Urd swung around in a small circle, hoping for any signs of her fanged companion. Did Marller know about bicorns? Did the Old Man teach her how to hide in plain sight, or to climb trees and escape flying hooves and gaping jaws? Or had the bicorn gotten to her already? Was Marller still even alive? Had the bicorn found Marller and crushed her beneath its hooves, ripping out her throat like a wolf on a rabbit?

Urd's thoughts steadily grew darker from there, disturbing images of her friend's fate flashing through her minds eye at an alarming rate, only for Marller's face to disappear, replaced with her own and the many 'what ifs' that came with it.

The silver haired child shuddered at the images, forcing them off to the farthest reaches of her mind as she sought to focus on her surroundings. Dwelling on the 'what ifs' of the world wouldn't get her out of the forest, nor would it help her find Marller. Steeling herself, the girl squared her shoulders, hands curling into small, determined fists as she marched through the forest, drawing strength from an unknown source as Hild's lectures whispered through her mind.

That's right. Her mother wouldn't be afraid. Hild would have looked the bicorn straight in the eye before laughing and striking it down from where it stood. A small smile quirked at the corner of Urd's lips. Yes…she'd be just like her mom, brave and fearless and ready to take on the whole world, and-

A bush rustled.

Urd froze.

-and she really wanted to go home now. Screw the forest. Screw Marller. She wanted to be back home, safe and sound with a mother that Mara sometimes liked to call 'half-baked' and not in a forest with a mad bicorn and rustling bushes big enough to hide mad bicorn and _please_ for the Powers that Be don't let that be a bicorn behind that bush-

Her thoughts racing, Urd glanced around her, panic once again swelling in her chest. She was out in the open, and she knew that should the bicorn come rushing through, there was nothing in Hell or Heaven that would stop her from running. A tree. If she could get to a tree and climb into the higher branches, she'd be safe. Bicorn could no more climb trees then could a wolf, and if she was high enough she wouldn't have to worry about snapping jaws leaping up to greet her.

The bush rustled again.

Urd bolted.

Yet even as she turned to the closest tree around her, Urd was certain she wasn't going to make it. Even as the looming trunk of her tree grew ever larger, she could hear the bicorn bursting though the bush, but she dared not look back. She didn't want to know how much closer the bicorn was coming, didn't want to see the gaping jaws, the mad eyes, the jagged horns-

"Urd!"

Marller's voice seemed to echo in her ears, tearing through the child's mind and piercing the shadows of fear and trepidation that weighed so heavily on her chest like a candle in the dark.

Startled, Urd looked back to the source of the voice, wild violet eyes coming to rest not on a bicorn, ready to shred her to pieces, but rather of Marller, twigs in hair and covered in a thin layer of dirt and panting ever so slightly.

"Marller! You're alright!" Urd's face broke into a relieved grin.

Or at least it would have, had she not run head first into the tree she'd been so desperate to reach.

There was a soft 'thump' as Urd's body collided with the tree, followed by an even quieter 'oof' as Urd fell to her back. For her part, had the situation not been so dire, Marller would have laughed.

But there was still the bicorn to think about, and so instead Marller trotted over to Urd's side, grabbing the darker girl's hand and yanking the violet eyed child to her feet. "Yeah, I'm okay, but I don't know for how long. We need to get out of here before that bicorn comes back." The blonde looked over her shoulder, as though expecting those very words to summon the creature back to the children's location

Urd followed her friends gaze, yet nothing but darkness could be seen through the black oaks. She nodded. "You're right. Let's find your old man before that bicorn finds _us._"

~*~

With Marller's knowledge of the forest and Urd's knowledge of bicorns in general, the two children slowly backtracked in the direction they'd come, carefully retracing their steps in the hopes of locating Mara all that much sooner. Back up the hill they climbed, ears and eyes alert for any signs of the large predator that had been stalking them several minutes prior and finding nothing but angry birds screaming at them instead.

The birds were a good sign at least. Their loud chatter meant the bicorn wasn't close enough to be seen as a threat. Quick glimpses of Niflheim's rodent population further verified the theory, as the small beasts that so resembled squirrels and chipmunks would have been safely concealed in their dens or nests-not out cavorting about and looking for food.

With the appearance of the animals, Urd and Marller found themselves relaxing once more, both certain that the danger had indeed passed and that they were finally safe from the bicorn's maw. It took several more minutes for Marller to retrace their steps to the trail the girls had veered from, but the time was spent in relative ease, despite the fact that both children instinctively froze at every rustling bush or shifting shadow, the duo going so far as to even joke with each other on who had screamed the loudest-Marller or the bicorn she'd run into.

Unsurprisingly, the bicorn won.

It was around the time Marller had finally rediscovered their trail that things started to go wrong again.

"_Finally._" Marller said. "I thought we'd never find the trail again."

Behind her, Urd lightly cuffed her friend on the back. "What, are you saying you couldn't find the trail or something?" She asked, eyes sparkling playfully. "The great and powerful Pathfinder Marller, looses her way in the forest?" She easily ducked the swing meant for her head, laughing as Marller scowled in her direction.

"S'not funny Urd." She grumbled. "Let's see how easy it is for _you _to find some stupid game trail after almost getting killed."

A bush rustled, and the two girls froze, falling silent as they waited for whatever lay beyond to make its move. A rodent that looked to be some strange cross between a squirrel and a mink bolted up a tree, and the children relaxed, falling back once more into their conversation.

The bronze child held up her hands in a gesture of peace. "Alright, alright, fine. You're right. After that run in, I guess I'll hold off on teasing you for a little while." At least until they got out of the forest. Then Marller was free game.

Another bush rustled, and the children froze once more as a bird with dark violet feathers screamed before taking to the air. Several seconds passed. The duo returned to their talk.

"So where do you think it came from? Don't bicorns usually travel in herds?" Marller asked, shifting the conversation off herself and back to the beast that had almost run her down.

Urd shrugged. "Beat's the hell outta' me." She said. "It might have been a loner, looking for some territory of his own to start a herd on. Mama said it isn't uncommon for younger bicorns to get chased out of their herds for some stupid stunt or something. Who knows? Maybe he had some sort of disease the others sensed, and wanted him out before he could spread it to the rest of the herd."

"Like rabies?" Marller's eyes were curious now, her mind's eye dancing with various scenarios that could have lead to the bicorn's exile. "Oh! Maybe another herd came across his and there was a big massacre, and he was the only one to survive."

Urd's face broke into a grin at the mental image. "Yeah! And that's how he got all those scars and stuff!" She said, recalling the faint silver lines that had marred various areas of the bicorn's body. "And now he wants to rebuild his herd, and seek out revenge against the enemy herd!"

So caught up in their tales, neither children noticed the sudden silence that engulfed the area.

It was a bird that saved them. A songbird with a plumage of a beautiful shade of yellow, it screamed as it rocketed out of the bush, startling the two children as it almost collided into Urd's shoulder before darting upwards and into the sky above. Both girls let out simultaneous yelps, heads swerving to follow the bird's flight as it disappeared through the forest canopy and beyond before turning to regard one another with wide, alarmed eyes.

And then Urd noticed the lack of life around them and, without a second thought, grabbed Marller's hand and dove into a bush.

Marller didn't even have a chance to yelp before Urd's free hand moved to cover her mouth when the children hit dirt. And not a moment too late either. For as Urd's arm snaked around Marller, the bicorn from before emerged once more, tail swishing irritability and nostrils widening as it inhaled the surrounding air.

The children waited and watched in silent terror as the creature's head stooped to the ground, snorting at the area Urd and Marller had been standing several seconds prior. Urd felt Marller swallow uneasily, and she could feel her hand growing warm and clammy against her friend's quick breaths. The child bit her lip. Could the bicorn track their scent to the bush?

Through the leaves, the girls watched as the bicorn began to paw at the earth, as though hoping to unbury some hidden treasure before it raised its head once more. It let loose and ear shattering shriek that left Urd fighting to hold back from leaping into a run, and left and equally terrified Marller trembling against her darker companion.

"_Bicorns are aggressive hunters. They're too large to be stealthy, too impatient to be ambush predators. They live for the thrill of the hunt, and will often times alert their prey to their presence in the hope of a creature's natural survival instincts kicking in and sending it into a run. It doesn't take much time for a bicorn to catch and trample its target after that."_

Somewhere off to the left, a bush shuddered, and the bicorn's ears perked forward with interest. It let loose another frightening wail, and when the bush trembled again, it charged, sending whatever creature that lay in its branches into a frenzied run.

It took several minutes for the mind numbing terror that had engulfed the children to die down to a more manageable point. On legs that still trembled from a deafening shriek, Urd and Marller rose from the bush.

"W-we n-need to get out of here. _Now._"

Marller nodded in mute agreement, taking hold of the hand that was still wrapped tightly around her wrist and leading Urd further up the trail they had been walking on.

And it was then that the bicorn barged once more onto the trail, eyes a blazing green and lips curved back in a terrifying grin.

This time both children screamed. "The trees! Get into one of the trees!" Urd shrieked, turning from the bicorn and making a mad dash for the nearest tree, her hand falling from Marller's wrist as the bicorn screamed once more, this time in delight rather then dismay at having finally found its much sought after prey.

Marller turned to follow after her friend, watching as Urd scrambled up a tree with all the ease of a squirrel and into the safety of the branches above. Behind her, the thundering sound of hooves roared in her ears-or was that her heart?-and Marller risked a glance behind her. The bicorn was growing ever closer, and with a shriek, Marller turned away, sliding to a halt and nearly colliding with the tree Urd was in.

"Come on Marller, hurry up!" Urd ordered, reaching a hand down through the branches and to the girl beneath her. "You're almost there-give me you're hand and I'll pull you up!"

"I'm trying, _I'm trying!_" Marller screamed back, scrambling and leaping against the tree trunk but finding herself unable to locate the footholds that had allowed Urd such easy access to safety. The girl leaped, hoping to grab the dark hand that was so desperately reaching out for her, and their fingertips just brushed one another before gravity pulled Marller to the ground once more.

"Again! Try it again!"

The fanged girl did as ordered, hunching down on coiled leg muscles and springing into the air once more. This time two separate pairs of digits entwined, and for a moment, it appeared as though Marller had been successful in her jump and that Urd would be able to pull her friend to safety. But it only lasted a brief second, as the fingers slid out of their grasp, sending Marller to the ground with a crash.

"Marller! Get up get up, _get up!"_

Marller slowly crawled back on to her feet, a grimace on her face as she looked up at Urd. Her friend's face was a mask of terror that only seemed to grow more and more pronounce the more Urd screamed at her.

Another scream, this one from behind her, and time seemed to slow as she looked over her shoulder to the source. Head bowed, the bicorn's horns were aimed at Marller's chest, looming ever and ever closer. The child screamed, ducking out of the way of the two small horns and falling onto all fours. Above her, momentum carried the bicorn onwards, and the horns slammed into the tree Urd was in, the trunk shaking unsteadily and causing Urd to release a cry of her own as the two protrusions lodged themselves in the wood.

The bicorn shrieked in agitation, lurching backwards as it tried to free itself from the tree and causing the trunk to shudder once more. Beneath it, Marller flinched as its two frontal hooves pawed at the earth around her, desperately shrinking away from the deadly dewclaws that threatened to tear into her.

Desperately clinging to several branches that swayed dangerously with each move the bicorn made, Urd could only look down, where she caught only a quick glimpse of the blonde head that was Marller. "Your knife!" She shouted. "Marller, use your knife!"

Mara's knife was one thing Urd _knew_ Marller kept on her person at all times, hanging the sheathed blade around her neck and adorning it like some deadly necklace. Due to Marller's strange appeal for bulky clothing, the weapon all but disappeared against her small frame.

It was easy to forget that the fanged girl wore the weapon like some bizarre fashion statement, but now, in the heat of danger, it made its presence all more known. With Urd's shouts ringing in her head, Marller quickly reached a hand into her shirt, fingers scrambling to wrap around the warm bone of the handle before easily sliding it from its sheath. The weapon seemed to pulse in her hands, as though knowing its reason for being drawn and eager to serve its owner.

And Marller was more then happy to oblige its wishes.

With a scream that tried hard to sound more fierce then frightened, Marller thrust the blade upwards with all the strength her small body could muster. The knife easily cut through the bicorn's tough hide, slicing though skin and muscle before lodging itself in bone.

The bicorn bellowed in pain as blood sprayed from the wound-a nasty, dark substance that clung to Marller's body like some strange sludge. The pain was enough for it to finally succeed in freeing itself from the tree, and it rose up onto its hind legs. The blade was wrenched from Marller's hands, firmly lodged up to the handle in the bicorn's chest where the creature in question madly pawed the air, desperate to extricate the weapon from its body.

"Run Marller! Get out from underneath it!" Urd shrieked, staring in open horror at the flailing hooves positioned right above Marller's head. The talons would only cut through the air for so long before they were forced to come down, and there was little doubt in Urd's mind on just _who_ those hooves would come down on.

Yet Marller seemed deaf to Urd's cries, staring dumbly at the beast towering over her, it's blood a steady spray her clothes seemed incapable of absorbing. Was she shocked that she'd managed to injure the creature? Perhaps paralyzed with the sudden fear of a beast that knew its demise to be emanate?

Whatever the reason, Marller was unresponsive to Urd's orders, remaining where she crouched kneeling in the dirt, her outfit growing more and more soiled by the second as paws that cried 'death' began to descend upon the young demon's head. "Damn it Marller, _move!_"

She didn't have time to think. In the current situation, hesitation meant death. The time for thought had long since passed. Now was the time for action.

And the very next second, Urd leapt from the safety of the tree branches, a scream equal parts defiance and terror racing from her throat as she landed on the back of the bicorn, small hands desperately grasping for something to hold onto and curling into the thick black mane of the bicorn.

The bicorn shrieked at the new weight on its back, its head turning to snap at Urd's face as it fought to keep its balance on its hind legs. The sudden arrival of weight had almost caused the creature to topple backwards, and now it came back down onto all fours not on Marller, still paralyzed with shock or fear, but rather the soft ground that was beside her, the front legs missing the child by mere inches.

The landing seemed enough to shock Marller back to her senses, and as the stallion reared back once more, its head turned as it snapped its leopard's teeth at Urd, the fanged child finally began to register Urd's cries and screams, and quickly scampered out of the creature's striking distance. Quickly bolting into the safety of thick bushes and closely growing trees, The girl watched as the bicorn began to dance, first on hind legs, then on all fours, as it desperately tried to throw Urd from its back.

The knife had been forgotten with the presence of the dark child, and now both Urd's screams and the cries of the bicorn's rose into the forest, twisting and mixing around each other into one horrid voice that sang of nothing but fear and rage.

"Urd! Get off of that thing! It's gonna kill you!" Marller shouted, risking the security of her shelter in favor of somehow helping Urd.

Yet for all the fact that Marller's words easily reached her ears, Urd found herself unable to take her comrade's advice. It was taking all her strength to keep her grip on the beast's mane, and a small part of her was screaming in her mind that if she were to let go now, she would only fall to her death, where the bicorn would trample her in its blinded rage before she had a chance to run for cover. And so instead the bronze child found herself clinging for dear life upon the back of the bicorn, her screams indistinguishable from the creature underneath her.

And it was through her screams, deep within her mind and past the whirlwind of terror and panic that swarmed within, that something new made itself known.

Urd wasn't sure what it was. It was an alien feeling, one that started off like a small spark, but grew, slowly at first, then faster, into a warm flame at the back of her mind. _Call out to me._ It seemed to whisper, filling her senses with phantom smells and sounds that she couldn't even _begin_ to decipher. It was a strange feeling, yet one that felt so…so…_right_ that she couldn't help but respond to it.

_Call out to me._ It whispered again, stronger, more forceful this time. Beneath her, the bicorn turned, snapping at her and almost catching a piece of her hand in its jaws. Urd's eyes narrowed, her mouth clamping shut and teeth bearing in an aggressive snarl.

She called to the presence.

And the presence responded.

An aggressive scream parting form her throat, a great thunderbolt descended from the heavens, striking both bicorn and child and engulfing the duo in light, blinding any and all who witnessed it.

~*~

In the bowls of Nidhogg, where bone sprouted to fuse with rock and the muscle of some great beast grew indistinguishable from the stone built around it, Hild looked up from her paperwork. The Daimakaicho stood sharply, eyes glinting in the glow of an unknown light source. Slowly, the silver haired woman inhaled, before moving to rest her palm against one of the walls of Nidhogg. Beneath her palm, she could feel a faint beat, one that throbbed in time with her own heart.

"Some one has hacked into my little beastie?" The demon murmured, eyes narrowing as thoughts and images not her own flashed across her vision. "Who…Urd?" Violet eyes widened in alarm as the hacker's energy grew recognizable before fading briefly from her senses, only to rise forth violently again.

The demon blinked in surprise, sensing the presence fade and resurface several times, each of which seemed to grow weaker and weaker with each rise and fall before finally fading altogether. Hild then felt the flesh-like substance under her palm shudder once before seeming to sigh, and Nidhogg grew inactive once more. Seconds later, and Hild could hear footsteps racing towards her before a large, hurried pounding smashed across her door.

"Daimakaicho! Nidhogg is being hacked by an unregistered demon!" Came the muffled scream from behind the door.

But Hild did not respond, her mind having already left the conscious area around her as she sought out just _what_ could have been responsible for such an incident.

~*~

The leaves of Yggdrasil rustled uneasily as, inside its trunk, goddesses of various professions darted to and fro, desperately trying to find the source of the disturbance that had assaulted the Tree of Life not five seconds ago.

"Sir, it's an unregistered goddess!" Someone shouted, the owner of the voice glancing up with large blue eyes filled with concern.

"Impossible! We're keeping tabs on every goddess in Heaven! There are no unregistered goddesses capable of gaining access to Yggdrasil's energy!" Another person screamed.

"Maybe it's not a goddess! What if it's a demon?" A goddess queried, gaining only several nasty looks from her peers.

"What? Don't be ridiculous! Yggdrasil wouldn't respond to a demon's presence! And even if it did, we would have caught note of it before the demon could do anything!"

"Somebody needs to report this to the Almighty! He'll know what to do!"

However, such an action was unnecessary, for high within the branches of Yggdrasil, The Almighty was already aware of the intrusion. He sat behind his desk, watching as data from his beloved Tree of Life flashed across his sight.

A little girl with hair as white as snow and eyes as bright as amethysts filled his mind's eye. "Urd." He whispered.

~*~

Deep in the forest, Mara came to a skidding halt as a bright flash lit up the surrounding landscape, earning a startled outburst from the old demon and an undignified squawk from the rooster flying above his head. Blinded, he could only wait for the light to fade and the accompanying roar of thunder that followed in the lightning's wake to quiet before removing his arm from his eyes.

The demon blinked spots from ruby orbs, looking off in the direction the magic had appeared in. "Shit." He swore, the feeling of unease that had stationed itself in his gut since Fjalar's arrival only growing as he realized the direction was coming from where the children's trail lead.

"Hild is going to kill me." He muttered, before taking a deep breath and setting off into a run once more, increasing his speed to as fast as he dared go on the slippery downhill foliage beneath his feet.

~*~

_Again! Again! Call to me again!_ The voice in the back of Urd's mind cried, repeating the words over and over again like some strange mantra. And despite the pain that had come with the bolt of electricity, Urd found herself listening to the voice, her scream a war cry that brought forth bolt after painful bolt.

Two bodies convulsed in pain within the bright lightning that repeatedly descended, yet with each strike, Urd found that, rather then intensify, the pain abated with each flash, something that could not be said for the bicorn beneath her. She didn't know why-perhaps she had some sort of resistance to it?-and quite frankly didn't care at the moment. All that mattered was defeating the monster whose back she road upon.

Yet for all the abating pain, Urd could sense something else as well. With each strike of lightning that fell from the heavens, it became an increasing struggle to scrounge up the strength necessary to call forth the magic. With each strike, she could feel more and more of her energy fading away, and she had no knowledge of how much longer she could continue at her current pace before her consciousness gave up all together and sent her over into the land of darkness.

Unfortunately, she was about to find out. Very soon, in fact.

And Marller could even see its progress, watching in stunned shock as bolt after bolt temporarily lit up the forest, blinding her with each strike, yet with her vision returning all the more quickly after each sound of the bicorn's scream. The lightning, however Urd was managing to summon it, was growing thinner, dimmer with each attack. She could see it with the way her eyes began to register Urd's form through the light, where before she could see nothing at all, and in the way the bicorn's spasms seemed to quell ever so slightly with each strike, as though they weren't causing the pain they once had.

But the final instant came with a cry that sent shivers down Marller's spine. It was an animalistic cry, one that conveyed desperation and defeat all at once as it sought to lay one last blow upon its enemy. And it had come from Urd. With her cry came one final bolt of electricity, this one so weak it didn't even leave an imprint behind Marller's eyelids, and then Urd collapsed against the back of the bicorn before falling lifelessly to the ground as the creature convulsed in pain and landing beside the beast with a dull thump.

She didn't move after that.

Beside the fallen child, the bicorn stood on shaking legs, small remnants of electricity dancing across its dark red body before dissipating into the atmosphere. It had stopped bleeding. Where once blood had flowed freely from the knife embedded in its chest, now nothing but a large charred hunk of flesh remained, the bone of the knife's handle protruding from it like some strange horn. Its whole body was covered in burn marks, in fact, save for the one spot Urd had been positioned throughout the entire ordeal. That area was still covered in unmaimed hair and fur.

The beast snorted, shaking a head that looked like it had been lit on fire and sending small bits of charred, crispy flesh flying. And then it turned its attention down to the source of its new condition, and snarled.

Marller's eyes, already large with fright, widened further. "Urd, wake up." She whispered, willing her words to travel to her fallen comrade. Next to Urd, the bicorn leaned its head down, where it sniffed the fallen child.

"C'mon Urd, wake up." The words came out in a hiss this time, and Marller's grip on the branches surrounding her tightened painfully, thorns she hadn't realized existed digging into her flesh. In front of her, the bicorn's ears went back, and it pulled its head upwards once more, eyes almost _glowing _with rage.

"Urd, you need to move. Come _on. Come on come on come _on." Marller pleaded, almost bouncing in her hiding place in the bushes. The bicorn rose on to its hind legs once more, hooves raised high and aimed for the silver haired child beneath it.

"Damn it Urd, _Move!_" The last word came out as a scream, yet still the dark skinned girl did not move, did not so much as twitch in response to Marller's cry.

And it was when the bicorn reached the peak of its height that the rooster shrieked in rage, diving from the sky like a falcon with talons extended in front of it. The bicorn lost its balance as Fjalar's sharp claws assaulted its eyes, blinding the beast and forcing the creature to fall to its side.

Then came a roar as fierce and as frightening as a tiger's, and a black blur threw itself upon the fallen stallion. The blur slowed, revealing it to be Mara, teeth bared and eyes aglow with an animal's rage that only a Slayer could mimic. The elder howled in rage, leaping onto the bicorn's side before the beast could right itself and thrusting a sword that had once been disguised as a cane down into the creature's gut.

The creature's head reared up in pain, a shriek that forced Marller to clamp her hands around her ears escaping its throat as the blade sliced through burned flesh and into the unprotected innards beneath. The head turned, snapping desperately at Mara, but the demon's only response was a snarl of his own before racking his nails across the bicorn's now-bleeding eyes, tearing away more bits of flesh and earning another scream from the wounded beast.

The glint of the bone handle protruding from the bicorn's chest also caught the demon's attention, and before the bicorn could recover enough to attempt to bite him once more, Mara quickly reached over and grabbed the handle, pulling up with a strength that belied his age and carving an even deeper wound into the creature's chest. Fresh blood spewed forth, coating the ground beneath the duo, and the bicorn's next cry was weaker.

With a large wound to its gut and a steadily growing wound in its chest, it was obvious the creature was dieing. As dark blood seeped into the earth below, Mara wrenched his blade free from the beast's side, carving upwards as he pulled and lengthening the slice further. Entrails spilled steaming from the cut with a sickening _hiss_, and the bicorn's next cry was weaker still, little more then a dieing wheeze as it convulsed beneath the demon.

Mara snorted, his eyes as hard as the rubies they reflected. The beast deserved the pain. It was punishment for trespassing on his territory. At least, the chest wound would be seen as such. Its real death would come from the stomach he'd sliced open-a painful death deserving of one who attacked the younger demon-kin.

And not just and demon-kin either. The foolhardy creature had _dared_ to attack his own blood-kin, and that of the Daimakaicho's as well. Such an act was deemed unforgivable, and with a growl that would never be mistaken for human, the Slayer kicked the dieing beast, the boot he wore impacting against the gut wound and sinking into the muscle and tissue within.

The bicorn twitched once, then lay still. The beast was dead.

Mara pulled his foot from the bicorn, shaking it lightly and sending the blood and gore that coated it flying. The demon was trembling now, a mixture of adrenaline, fear, and rage flowing through his veins and leaving the demon alert and tense. His heart a racing drum beating in his chest, the man took several deep breaths, nostrils widening and shrinking as he fought to calm himself.

And then he became aware of Marller's screams.

"Urd, Urd, you need to wake up. Come on, the bicorn's dead. You don't need to play 'possum any more. Come on, come on, _come_ _on!_"

The demon turned, leaving his sword where it was still buried half-way within the bicorn's stomach and dropping the knife he'd given Marller to the ground.

A short distance away, Marller sat kneeling in front of what the older demon could only assume to be Urd, and with a violent curse, the old man moved from the corpse, leaving Fjalar to pick at the spilled entrails absently. He moved up behind Marller, who, seeing his shadow cast down upon her smaller frame, looked up at him with terrified blood-red eyes. Her left cheek had blossomed into a colorful bloom from her earlier fight with Urd, and her right temple had a large smear of drying blood on it, bits of gore and cracks forming where Marller had been doused with a particular heavy spray of bicorn blood.

"G-gramps…she won't wake up. Why won't Urd wake up?" She looked back down at her friend, who lay curled on one side, her expression almost _peaceful_ in comparison to the chaos that surrounded the group. Marller shook Urd once more, but there was not so much as a twitch beneath eyelids that showed the silver haired child responded.

Marller looked back up at her grandfather. "Is…is she dead?" She asked. "Did the bicorn kill her?"

Mara frowned, kneeling down next to his granddaughter and moving a weathered hand to Urd's throat. Beneath his fingers, the faint pulse of Urd's heart beat, quick and erratic but there. The elder sighed, releasing a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding before sending a sidelong glance at Marller. The corner of his lips curled up in something resembling a smile, and Marller felt herself relax.

"She'll live." He murmured, motioning Marller away with a soft shove of his hand and gently scooping the unconscious Urd into his arms. "Grab the weapons, Girl." He nodded to the bicorn carcass, being careful not to jostle the child in his arms. "We'll talk more on this later."

Marller nodded, scrambling to her feet and rushing to follow the older demon's orders. Yes, the time for discussion could come at a later time, when they were out of the forest and safely locked away in the house. Now was the time to retreat, before anything else could find and attack them.

It was time to go home.

~*~

A/N: Crap that was a long chapter. Sorry about that. It felt like it took forever to get to the point of 'bicorn runs into children', didn't it? And such a hard little beastie to kill. Now I guess we know why they're the preferred mounts of Angel Slayers, right? Anyways, hopefully the end result was worth it. And we also catch our first glimpse of heaven as well! What consequences could possibly be brought up with Urd's access to not only Nidhogg, but Yggdrasil as well? Furthermore, what is wrong with Urd right now? I guess you'll just have to wait for the next chappie to find out.


	6. A Place Called Heaven

Origins

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing

_She was tired. Oh so tired. Floating in the grey of a void, she curled into a small ball, a discontent look on her youthful features as she sought out the sleep that so eluded her. Above her, the grey of the void lightened into a white, and instinctively, she turned her back to it, shunning the brightness that issued forth above her for the welcoming darkness that was spreading beneath. _

_Where was she? She didn't know-only knew that wherever she was, she was alone; her mother wasn't there, and neither was Marller or the Old Man. A small part of her wondered if perhaps she was dead-the theories behind what happened to demons and gods who'd died were as varied as their mortal counterparts-and she quickly shoved the thought away. She couldn't be dead. Her mama always said she'd kill her if she died._

_The light from above increased, and the girl moaned as thin strands of light wormed their way into her vision. Violet eyes clamped themselves shut tightly. It was too bright! Why was it even here? With a whine, the child moved to cover her eyes, one arm snaking across her face while the other reached downwards, to where the strange darkness sprouted from, cool and dark and beckoning to her. Something whispered in the back of her mind that that was where she wanted to go, that the darkness was where her mother was, waiting for her with Marller and the Old Man and everybody else, and desperately, she moved towards it._

_But her progress was slow. It was like she was swimming through some invisible liquid, one that, while not drowning her, still resisted her attempts, making it all the more difficult to reach her target. Yet, as though sensing her intentions and her difficulties, something shot forth from the darkness-a single black tendril, slow and wavering, as though it too found itself at a disadvantage in the void._

_Another whine escaped her throat, and she reached for the dark tendril, fingers grazing the pointed tip and filling her mind with phantom whispers and haunting visions, some familiar, and some so alien that she flinched, withdrawing her hand from the darkness with a terrified gasp._

_Yet still the darkness reached for her, ignorant of the visions that had assaulted her young mind, simply seeking to take back what it knew to be one of its own. Only now Urd was uncertain if she wanted to return to the darkness, not after the strange sights and sounds that had briefly engulfed her senses._

_The child backed away, suddenly trying to keep a distance between herself and the darkness that was supposed to lead back to her world, back to her mother. A whimper escaped her throat as she pulled back. The tendril wasn't going to leave her be until it had her in its grasp._

_And then she felt her back press into something warm and soft._

_Startled, the child momentarily forgot about the darkness that continuously sought her out, instead wheeling around with wide violet eyes and coming face to face with what she'd found herself pressing up against._

_A pair of hauntingly powerful sapphire eyes bore into hers._

_Urd screamed, and the creature-a large, golden raptor whose entire body seemed to be made of light-took flight with a shriek of its own._

_The shriek of terror quickly shifted into a soft coo of awe, however, as the raptor lifted above Urd's head. The creature was magnificent, the likes of which the child had never before laid eyes on. It's curved, hooked beak seemed to almost glow in the light that surrounded it, and feathers as bright as the sun itself covered not one pair, but _two_ pairs of large, powerful broad wings. _

_The regular gold that so often adorned a more typical raptor's eyes was replaced with an intense blue-one that seemed to catch and hold Urd's gaze, and had the power to leave behind an imprint in the back of Urd's eyelids should she suddenly blink. Scaled legs of an almost silver shade laid tucked tightly against its body, each foot ending in four-not three-wickedly curved talons, with a hind-toe curling back ever-so-slightly as it floated in the air. An eagle, perhaps, or a large hawk, if Urd was to guess._

_The tendril worked its way around one of Urd's legs, and the child was reminded of her current situation, releasing another scream as she fought to tear herself free from the tendril's grasp. Above her head, the raptor shrieked again, and despite herself, the girl looked up, gasping as the great beast dove towards her in a plunge._

_Held captive by the tendril around her leg, Urd could only watch in open terror as the raptor descended upon her, incapable of dodging the deadly talons that were quickly growing near._

_She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the pain._

_It never came._

_A sound that seemed half-shriek, half-roar filled her ears and Urd opened her eyes. The talons that she'd thought were to plunge into her were instead behind her, buried deeply in the writhing tendril of darkness that, even now, was slowly uncurling from her leg. Next to her, the raptor seemed to tower over the child, head tilted at such an angle as to observer her with one sapphire orb, before its large head plummeted to the tendril beneath it, beak coming down on the darkness with a _snap_._

_Another shriek-roar, and the tendril retreated further, slipping from the talons and beak of the raptor and descending once more into the darkness it had emerged from, leaving child and bird with none but each other for company._

_The silver haired child looked up once more at her savior, a small frown of consternation lining her young face as she stared up at the raptor. The large predator stared back, silent, expectant almost, as though waiting for the violet eyed child to do something. Had there been ground upon which to stand, Urd would have shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot under the creature's gaze, but as it was, she instead found herself looking away from the bold blue eye that observed her._

"_Uh…" She started, finding herself nervous and hesitant in the beast's presence. "Thanks…I think." She stated, unsure of herself and feeling slightly ridiculous thanking the brilliant creature. _

_And yet…_

_An idea came to her, and Urd looked up once more at the towering predator. "Hey!" She shouted, violet eyes brimming with hope. "You wouldn't happen to know the way out of this place, would you?" She asked, her voice rising with excitement._

_The raptor cocked its head to one side, as though considering Urd's question and thinking of a proper response. Urd held her breath, feeling as though all her hopes rode on the strange creature's reply. If she could get out of this strange place, maybe she could find another way home, or maybe find another demon who could contact her mom._

_Minutes dragged into eternity._

_And then the burning creature let loose a shriek that burned like fire in Urd's ears and left her heart thrumming in her skull. Urd screamed, her voice rising with the raptors' and melding into a song of primal chaos. The beast took flight once more as Urd clamped her hands over her ears, and pained eyes turned to terror as they followed the creature as it wheeled about over her head, gaining in height before swooping down on her once again, talons open and gleaming in the light that naturally radiated from the beast._

_This time there was no tendril it could be targeting._

_There was no doubt as to where those deadly claws could be grasping for._

_Urd saw the two pairs of blindingly bright wings descend upon her from above._

_And then her world was once again filled with darkness._

_~*~_

"Hmm?"

Skogul blinked as a large shadow flew over her form. The Valkyrie looked up, just in time to see the shadow's owner disappear behind a building. A small frown appeared on the young woman's face and her brows furrowed together in confusion.

"You saw it too?"

The blonde looked over, blue eyes meeting her reflection as Skogul looked to her twin, Geirskogul. The woman nodded. "That was one of His avatars, right? Horus, I think, or maybe Osiris?"

Her twin nodded in response. "Yeah…but you saw what was in his talons, right?"

"That shadow?"

"Yes. So you saw it too, then. That's good. For a second I thought I was going mad."

"But why would that bird-Horus, Osiris, whichever-why would He be bringing something like that to Heaven?"

"Got me."

"Think we should investigate?"

"We're on Post. Or have you forgotten that small little fact?"

Skogul-or was it Geirskogul?-frowned. "Bite me. It's _your_ fault we're stuck on guard duty, not mine."

Her twin scowled. "_My _fault? If you hadn't been flirting with-"

"That was you!"

They duo quickly lost themselves to their argument, the source that had started their conversation leaving their minds altogether.

~*~

The field was large. Blossoms and flowers of every shape, size, and sent seemed to flourish from the earth, dancing to a beat all their own on the light breeze that sang to them.

A voice rose up in song.

And then a pair of feet joined the flowers in their field, steps as wild and carefree as the air they sought to mimic, a young, wavering voice rising and falling as it tried to echo the wind's tune. Long hair, as brown as the wooden trees that surrounded the grove, tossed and turned from side to side, and a pair of blue eyes, as clear and innocent as the sky itself, sparkled with joy.

The owner was young-appearing no older then four-five at the most, and was dressed in a long, flowing dress made of some sturdy cloth that, while complimenting the girl's appearance, remained durable enough to withstand the abuse all children managed on their clothing at so young an age.

The child laughed in glee, tiptoeing through tulips and chasing after beings both imaginary and invisible, frolicking like a forest nymph in spring. Off to one side, an older woman watched on in uninterested boredom, only growing attentive when it seemed as though the child was about to disappear from sight.

"Belldandy! Don't go wandering off out of my sight now, Child!" The black haired woman scolded, a small rise of satisfaction rising in her gut as the little girl turned towards the voice's owner. "You're father'll scald me alive if something were to happen to you."

The child, Belldandy, nodded in an understanding she didn't entirely comprehend, the words of her caretaker, Juno, coming to her as little more then 'Don't stray from sight'.

"Okay!" Belldandy called back, waving to the woman with a smile that could have blinded Apollo, given half the chance.

The woman gave a half-hearted wave in return, before letting the limb drop back to her side as the chestnut-haired girl turned away once more, her attention returning to the voices singing with the wind and making a long winded attempt at mimicking them.

A shriek from above interrupted her song yet again, however, and as Belldandy's and Juno's eyes went skywards, a great shadow descended upon them. Yet, rather than freezing up at the looming raptor, as the suddenly terror-filled Juno had, Belldandy's face grew great with a large, happy smile, and quickly, the chestnut-haired child chased after the descending shadow. Keeping well within the ever larger growing shade, Belldandy let out a cheerful cry of greetings to the raptor, laughing with glee as the beast responded with a shriek that did not sound any bit as friendly as Belldandy seemed to believe.

Finally, the creature gave one great swoop with its four wings, signaling its decision to land, and Belldandy quickly responded, coming to an almost sliding halt on dew-covered grass as the raptor landed on first one taloned foot, then the other and sending up a billowing cloud of debris before its wings moved to fold in on themselves.

Her face alight with joy, one word escaped Belldandy's throat.

"Papa!"

At the top of the hill Belldandy had chased her apparent father down; Juno was slowly recovering from her own bit of shock. Now she stood, looking down at the duo, one of which towered over the other like a lion over a gazelle calf, the poor woman failed to repress the shiver that ran down her spine. _He_ was here…nothing good could come from that. "I'm screwed." She whispered to herself, before, back stiff like a woman sentenced to the noose, Juno began to make her way down the hill and to the duo at the bottom.

"Father! What are you doing here?" Belldandy asked, her curiosity and eagerness getting the better of her as she bolted forward once more, leaping over one large clawed toe and embracing the right leg of the bird. The child's already small size was dwarfed further as the sky-eyed child tried and failed to wrap her arms completely around the bird's leg-they only just reached half-way.

Her Father, or rather, one of His avatars, gave an odd crooning coo before bringing its massive head down (one of its eyes was half the size of Belldandy) and somehow managing to gently run its large predators' beak through the child's hair.

The child giggled, doing her best not to squirm under the rare bit of attention lest He suddenly decide her actions were not worth his time. Behind her, Juno hesitantly approached, her throat partially dry as she stepped into the behemoth's shadow. "My Lord…the Little one has a point." She said, her eyes focusing on the deadly curve of the predator's beak, pointedly refusing to meet the creature's frightening blue eyes. "Might I ask what You are doing here? It's unlike You to send one of Your avatars out here. Is something amiss?"

Juno would later go down as one of the few people to successfully get away with questioning God.

The avatar raised its beak from its 'offspring's' head, piercing blue eyes catching and holding Juno's darker green ones, and the woman froze-a rabbit looking into the eyes of the eagle called Death-before releasing one great scream and rising into the air. Caught up in the great whirlwind of dust and debris that took off with His lift, both woman and child let out twin cries of surprise, both being knocked off their feet by the tornado that rose with the eagle, and both watched in bewilderment as the hawk took off, leaving nothing to explain its reasons behind the abrupt visit and departure.

At least, not until Belldandy noticed the shadow of the avatar that had remained, even as the Roc disappeared into the rays of the sun. "Huh?" Belldandy 'hmmed' in question, rolling from the rump she had landed on and onto her hands and knees, leaning forward in curiosity as she got a better view of the 'shadow'. For a brief moment, the youthful blue eyes could see no change in the shade, yet as Belldandy continued watching, the darkness twitched.

The child jumped, sucking in a startled breath at the quick movement, before leaning forward even more in the hopes of getting a better understanding of just _what_ she was looking at. Slowly, her eyes began to adjust to the strange darkness, and through the mass of what she'd originally assumed to be the Roc's shadow, a form gradually appeared in the dark void, and pools of blue widened in surprise.

It was human in form, what Belldandy was seeing, the darkness still too thick for anything beyond a silhouette to be made out. Yet even as Belldandy watched, more and more features could be made out on the figure-tendrils of darkness lengthened and thinned, becoming something that resembled hair. Limbs lengthened and shortened, becoming arms and legs, hands and feet. Shadows formed into clothes, extra shade rising above before dissipating into the atmosphere.

"What in the world was _that_ all about?" A soft breeze blew through the area, causing the surrounding trees to dance and sigh. Their shadows danced with their physical counterparts, and where gaps in the trees widened, sunlight trickled through, cutting into the shade that surrounded the newest addition and evaporating the darkness with an almost _pained_ hiss. It was the 'hiss' that drew Juno's attention, and her gaze turned earthbound from where it had been glued to the sky, long after the traveler who had navigated it moments before had disappeared into the horizon.

They traveled to the origin of the sound.

Green eyes widened as Belldandy turned toward her, a great, beaming smile on her face, her body covered in weak tendrils of darkness. "Look Auntie!" The child crowed, one of the dark tendrils stroking her face almost affectionately. "A new friend!"

~*~

Deep within the bowls of hell, the three canine heads of Cerberus rose from where they rested on its paws, ears perked forward with interest as Juno's scream reached its ears. Thinking it the lonely cry of a female seeking company, the three heads responded with equal enthusiasm, briefly forgetting its duty while around it, residential souls moaned in pain. Orpheus almost snuck past the great beast in fact, had not the serpent that was its tail caught sight of the man's fluttering cape and attacked it with an angry hiss. The Guardian of Hades attention automatically returning to its duty of watchdog, Juno's terror ridden shriek left its mind, and the howl was forgotten.

~*~

Hearing Juno's cry, the man let loose a small gin that spread into a deep smile. His hands clasped behind His back, He looked down at the monitor in front of Him. "And so it begins." He murmured.

~*~

The world was a blur of light. Colors, sights, lights. She couldn't focus on any one thing. Noise, voices, speaking in tongues and screaming like banshees. Where was that shrieking coming from? With a pained moan, Urd curled into a tighter ball, burying her face in her arms and wishing for it to all go away.

It didn't.

Rather, a young voice cooed into her ear-a child's, younger and higher then her own.

The words were complicated and foreign-strange and alien, sounding almost as though muffled somehow. The demon child's forehead creased in confusion. "Wha…" Urd trailed off, lifting her head and peaking one violet eye out from its hiding place. The dark pupil dilated in shock, however, as it came to rest on the specter hovering over Urd.

It was brilliantly bright, reminiscent of the raptor that the silver haired child had encountered prior to losing consciousness (speaking of which, where had that creature disappeared off too, anyway?), only smaller and with less form-more humanoid then anything else. It tilted what could have passed as a head off to one side in curiosity, and something that might have been a laugh echoed hollowly within Urd's ears. It spoke again (at least, Urd thought it did) in the alien tongue, and reached an arm-like limb out towards the girl-child.

Urd sucked in a breath, flinching away from the small entity before it could touch her, and started when the figure pulled away just as quickly. Both of the small little entities froze, unconsciously mimicking the other as they sought to figure out just _what_ the other was staring at. The bright light then moved forward once again, what Urd thought to be the being's head tilted to the side in an almost...innocent...curiosity. What the child though might very well be a hand reached out in front of her, moving to touch her once more.

Her own curiosity getting the better of her as no hostility was sensed from the Bright One, Urd regained her composure, feeling her own trepidation fade little by little. She moved to her hands and knees, her right arm rising and moving to touch the extended tendril of light that was moving towards her.

And then another voice entered her senses, this one a loud, clear chirp that rang painfully like an echoing bell within Urd's mind in comparison to the softer coo that belonged to the being before her. Another larger bright light entered her line of sight, appearing behind the small one, and suddenly Urd found herself _flung_ several feet away.

The violet-eyed child screamed, the fear that had dissipated with the smaller light returning in force and growing as her back collided with something hard. A soft _swish _ was heard as whatever Urd had collided with trembled, and Urd blinked back tears, looking up to the source of the noise.

"A...tree?"

She'd hit a tree...

As several green leaves, knocked loose from her collision into the brown trunk, slowly drifted down to the child underneath, Urd slowly turned her gaze to the two bright, enigmatic beings who'd come across her.

It was like a veil had been removed from her eyes.

Suddenly a blue sky, hidden between the towering green tree tops, loomed above her, bright and foreign and filled with the cries and chirps of strange and exotic song birds. The ground Urd found herself sitting on was soft and damp, piled with heathy green grass and pine needles, and below that, solid, soft brown earth, the grass bent and matted where her body had fallen on it. Even the air she breathed was strange, sickeningly sweet with the perfume of some foreign, exotic flora.

Violet eyes widened in alarm. "W-where...?" This was not the Niflheim she'd grown up in. Where was her red sky, her red trees? Where were the blackwoods, the bloodgrass, the sharp, bittersweet heated air that was her home? Her _life_?

"Demon."

Urd's head whipped up,eyes moving to focus on the two bright entities.

Only the Bright Ones were gone. A woman and child had taken their place. Their dress was strange, long robes and dresses that covered skin in a manner that would have been uncomfortably hot in the heat of Niflheim, embarrassingly conservative to the point where it looked as though they where ashamed to show their bodies to the world.

And their markings were the blue of gods. Not the comforting red Urd had grown up with.

The little girl-someone who couldn't have been any older then Urd herself, smiled innocently. "Hi!" She cried, waving exuberantly to the silver haired child, radiating a kindness that was unheard of in the land Urd dwelled in. "Want to be friends?"

Urd stared, unsure of how to respond to such an odd person, her large eyes moving from the friendly face of the brown-haired girl to the more hostile, intimidating expression on the green-eyed woman behind her. Their eyes met, and green narrowed dangerously at violet.

"Belldandy, get behind me. That_...thing..._is not a friend." The woman's voice was solemn and low, placing one hand on the little girl before moving to stand in front of the child, blocking Belldandy from sight. In her other hand, a bright ball of energy began to gather in her palm, sparks of white lightning dancing up and down the sleeve her her elegant gown.

"But-" The blue-eyed girl was more stubborn then she let on, and she struggled to look past Juno and to Urd, trying desperately to make eye contact with the other girl.

"Silence!" Juno ordered, once more moving to block the two childrens' views of each other, this time launching the white sphere of energy at Urd in the process. "I no not how you got into this sacred area, demon-spawn, but you can be sure I'll make you pay for defiling such a sacred area!"

Urd shrieked as the orb of light came at her, scrambling to get out of it's path and narrowly dodging contact with the divine magic. The orb instead struck the tree behind her, and a small explosion resonated through the area. The blast's shockwave knocked the young girl down, and wood chips assaulted her bare arms and legs. The young demon-child cried out again, looking over her shoulder and at the large hole in the tree that, a second ago, had her body leaned up against.

Urd's mouth dropped in shock, and the seriousness of her situation began to sink in. This woman, this _goddess_, was out for her blood. The silver-haired child slowly turned back to the older woman and girl-child, a look of terror on her face. Another voice entered the foray.

"What are you doing!?" Urd's eyes moved to the brown-haired girl, who'd latched her arms around Juno's arm, using her weight to drag the hand that, even as Belldandy shouted, was trying to gather more energy for another attack. "Don't do that!" The little girl pleaded. "You'll hurt her! She didn't even do anything to us!"

Refusing to look a gift bicorn in the mouth, Urd quickly climbed to her feet, releaved to find that, aside from maybe one or two scratches from wood sharpenal, there were no injuries. The demon looked around, finding nothing but a forest of trees on one side and an open field on the other side of her. There was no sign of any sort of city, and another glance over at the two divine beings showed the older woman quickly gaining the advantage over Urd's 'savior'.

The Daimakaicho's heir let out several choice phrases she'd heard her mother and the other Angel Slayers use several times in the past, her mind racing and the beginning of what was either a brilliant idea or a colossal bad one forming in her head. Looking down on the ground, her eyes lit up as they landed on a rather large, hefty splinter of wood that had been blown from the tree.

The child swooped down on it, grabbing it with both hands like a sword, before turning and charging at the elder goddess. Too distracted with the younger divine being hanging off her arm, it wasn't until Urd's battle cry reached her ears that Juno turned, just in time for Urd to break the wood across Juno's exposed side.

The woman let out a shout that was equal parts surprise as it was pain, and the grip she'd formed around Belldandy's wrists vanished, falling to the ground as the other child stumbled away from her caretaker. Letting out a soft groan, Juno rolled onto her knees, just in time to get a good look of Urd grabbing a stunned Belldandy by the wrist and leading the girl off in run that seemed almost a drag into the forest next to the clearing. Lurching to her feet, Juno hissed in pain, bringing a hand to her side and feeling splinters pierce her hand. The goddess pulled it away, looking at the wood-riddled digits before returning her gaze to the forest, which had by now fully enveloped to two girls.

"What in the divines name just happened?" She wondered aloud, a feeling of dread entering the pit of her stomach as she realized what had just happened. "There's a demon loose in Heaven!" The woman cried out. "And she has a _hostage!"_

_~*~_

_Hostage _would have been pushing the boundaries where Urd was concerned. Ducking and weaving through the underbrush, her grip on the other girl's wrist a vice, Urd did everything in her power to put as much distance between herself and the psychotic goddess as possible. It wasn't until the duo reached a rather large tree that Urd came to a stop, releasing her grip on her companion and moving to lean against the trunk of the tree.

Panting after her near-death experience, Urd looked over at the other child, who stared back with large blue eyes-more curious then fearful. It had been a spur-of-the-moment idea, but looking back on it, Urd found she didn't regret it. The girl had seemed more sympathetic to Urd then the woman she was with after all, and had even gone out of her way to prevent Urd from being killed.

And though the demon was uncertain of the punishment given to one so young aiding the enemy on the divine side, she _did_ know the consequences given to those in Niflheim. And if Heaven was anything like her home, then Urd had just saved her new friend a good deal of pain.

Besides, if Urd wanted to get home, she'd need a guide. Who better then one of the locals?

"Are you okay?" Urd glanced over to where the other girl stood, gently rubbing the wrist that Urd had gripped so tightly a moment before. The violet-eyed child blinked, unused to seeing concern over her own well being when the other appeared to be in more pain then her.

"Me?" Urd asked, pointing to herself. At the girl's nod, Urd shrugged nonchalantly. "I've been through worse." She stated. "I just can't think of any right now." Her words made her companion giggle, and Urd allowed a small smile to crack on her face.

Noticing the girl still cradling her wrist, the silver-haired child let the smile fade into a frown, and she approached the blue-eyed girl. "What about you?" Urd asked, gently prying the girl's hands apart with a kindness she didn't even know existed. "Are you alright?"

The demon jerked back with a sympathetic hiss as her eyes gazed down upon the darkening bruise that was steadily forming a ring along the younger girl's wrist. "Shoot, did I do that to you?" She wondered aloud, more speaking the question to herself rather then her companion.

Irregardlessly, the brown-haired child nodded. "Yeah. You're really strong, did you know that?" She asked, tilting her head to one side in curiosity. "Is everyone like that where you come from?"

Urd uncomfortably scratched the back of her head, an alien feeling of guilt running through her. "Uh...I guess so..." She muttered, looking away. Had she really grabbed the girl that hard? That had never happened before.

She missed the other girl's cheerful grin. "That's pretty cool." She said, surprising Urd. "By the way, my name is Verdandi, though everyone I know calls me Belldandy. What's yours?" The little goddess asked, sticking her bruised arm wrist out.

Urd stared at it in a mixture of confusion and surprise, staring at the offered hand and then Belldandy. "Ah...Urd." She said after a moment's hesitation, cautiously reaching out to grip the extended limb.

Belldandy's face broke into a toothy smile, and despite everything, Urd felt herself returning it. "Nice to meet you Urd!" She crowed. "Let's be good friends from this point on!"

Unable to help herself, Urd let out a small laugh, the fear and negativity she'd felt since arriving in this strange realm that Belldandy resided in fading with her newly-declared friend. "Okay!" She shouted.

Neither child seemed to notice the darkening of Urd's facial markings, shifting from the red of freshly spilt blood to the calm blue of the sky shared with Belldandy. The two colors seemed to fight for dominance for a brief second, before coming to an unhappy, violet median of a shade similar to Urd's eyes.

~*~

And though no children noticed the change in Urd, two adults did, the change in the child's alignment striking both like a whip. And though the effects were similar, the reaction were beyond different.

A woman wheeled around with a snarl, snapping in an almost animalistic manner as she felt the claim she had on her only offspring waver. An unfortunate man at her side lost his life in the process, and the woman howled in rage, storming away from the rest of her company and vanishing from sight.

A man stood from his seat, grinding his teeth as he held back an anger centuries old, gripping the computer terminal in front of him as he fought desperately to control his temper, lest he loose it, and the life of an innocent, in the process. With a shiver and a gasp, he regained control of himself, releasing his grip on the terminal and standing straight. His eyes slid across the monitor to where two children conversed among themselves in a forest. Straightening, the man wheeled around and exited the room.

One thought was shared by both adults.

_Urd._

~*~

"So you got into a big fight with a monster, and when you woke up, a big bird brought you here?"

Urd nodded her head, humming an agreement when she saw that Belldandy was too focused on leading them out of the forest and into the city to bother to look back at her more demonic companion. "Yeah. I've been trying to figure out why it brought me here rather then take me back home, especially after that crazy lady decided to attack me."

This time Belldandy did look back, light-brown eyebrows furrowed together in disagreement. "Juno wasn't trying to be mean." She stated, ignoring the fact that said woman had tried to blow a hole in Urd's head. "She just jumped to conclusions, that's all. I bet if we'd told her you were only trying to go home, she'd have been happy to help us."

Urd sent the divine child a disbelieving look. "Somehow I don't think that would have happened, even if we'd pleaded with her on our hands and knees." She replied, her mind briefly filling with the unpleasant memories that had led her into another strange, unfamiliar forest.

"Uh...how far are we from that one place again?"

Belldandy paused on the animal trail she was following, tilting her head up to one side as though listening to something. "Um...I think we're getting really close now." She said, a gentle breeze rustling the tree tops and causing hair and dress to dance gently.

Urd frowned, feeling a surreal sense of _deja vu _creep up her spine. _And any second now, we're going to get attacked by a rapid bicorn._ She thought unenthusiastically.

However, there were no bicorn. The only creatures the two children encountered were the native songbirds that sang gaily with the wind. Yet it was still with great relief that the two finally exited the forest, finding themselves standing outside the large, towering wall of the city Belldandy was leading them to.

Stepping through the underbrush and finally out of the forest altogether, the two girls allowed themselves a brief moment of respite, taking a second to stare in awe at the great towers that stood before them. Various shades of white and pallid colors made up the paint scheme of the great formations-a large leap from the dark greys and black that normally consumed the building's Urd called home. Where spires and jagged angles were considered the norm back in Niflheim, here nothing but gentle slopes and round domes ruled, creating a peaceful scenery that spoke volumes in a way vastly different from anything in Nifheim.

"This...is where you live?" Urd couldn't help but ask, forcing her gaze away from the magestic towers and back to Belldandy's cheerful face. Brown hair bobbed against Belldandy's head as she nodded.

"Come on! Let's see if your mama is somewhere in the city!" She shouted, this time being the one to grab Urd by the wrist and half-lead, half-drag her silver-haired friend.

~*~

It wasn't until she saw the two Valkyries guarding the gates to the city that Urd suddenly felt nervous.

It's true that she hadn't laid eyes on a Valkyrie since the failed negotiations she and Marller had ruined a lifetime ago, but Urd could still recognize them for what they were. It was almost like some inner instinct, or a memory that never departed after obtained. The child stopped, almost knocking both herself and her more divine counterpart.

Startled at the sudden halt, Belldandy turned to look back at her friend, a look of confusion on her young face. "What's the matter?"

Urd took a small step back, glowering over at the Valkyries who had yet to notice the two children. "Belldandy...those are Valkyries." She stated, her voice low and soft.

Belldanfy nodded in agreement, not quite understanding the silver-haired girl's trepidation. "Yeah. Valkyries always guard the gates. Peorth said it 'gives them something to do'.

Not understanding what Belldandy meant and not caring for whoever this 'Peorth' was, Urd shook her head. "Bell-I don't think you understand. I _can't_. If they see me, they'll kill me. I _know_ it." Urd had not forgotten the chaos that had arisen when last she'd seen Valkyries, nor the warnings and war stories from her mother and her men. They were supposed to be like her-knowing who and what she was on sight, and what better way to end any future threats then to end the life of the next Daimakaicho?

It was not something Urd often dwelled on, nor did she lead such a sheltered life to remain ignorant to the fact that many considered her valuable in the eyes of Niflheim. And while she'd been told that the new 'terms of agreement' involved no deaths on either side, both Daimakaicho and elder Slayers had warned her time and time again of the dangers of bored warriors with something to prove.

Was it not wonderful, the fears and paranoias installed in children so young?

Ahead of her, Belldandy frowned. "They only hurt the Bad People though." She said, trying to reassure the other girl. "And you're not bad-so they won't hurt you." Belldandy stated, folding her arms across her head and nodding at her logic.

Urd stared.

"Now come on! Lets go!" Not wanting to waste any more time when she had so much she wanted to show Urd, Belldandy once again grabbed the demon-girl by the hand and carted her off, this time remaining well aware of Urd's reluctancy and determined to see her through it.

Urd swallowed the lumb that had grown in her throat,staring up at the two uniformed Valkyries before bowing her head, wondering if the two wouldn't take notice of her if she didn't make eye contact. Together, the two girls moved past the bored looking woman, who barely spared the duo a glance.

"Hold up one second."

Belldandy and Urd paused, and blue eyes turned to look up and over her shoulder, past the suddenly pale Urd and to the Valkyrie standing guard on the left. The woman tilted her head off to one side in curiosity, brows furrowed together in a small frown. "What were you two doing outside all alone?" She asked, a streak of suspicion racing through her features. "Where is your caretaker?"

Outside the walls of the city was a world more then a little wild for any child who'd not come into control of her abilities. Without someone to look out for the child, it was too easy for the younger one to run into unexpected trouble.

"Um..." Belldandy was uncertain of what to say, and so said the first thing that came to her mind.

She said the truth.

"Well...Papa Horus came from the sky with Urd and then left. And then Juno panicked, thinking she was evil and attacked Urd. I stopped her so Urd could run away, but then Urd hit Juno with a stick. Then we ran. And then we came here, because we think we might find Urd's mama here, because Urd doesn't know where she is. Urd is lost."

By now Belldandy had gained the attention of more then one person, with both Valkyries and several passer-byes stopping to stare at the two children. And with her finishing words, Belldandy pointed to poor Urd who, with every mention of her name, seemed to try and shrink further and further from view, until it looked as though the poor girl would disappear, given half the chance.

_This was a bad idea._ Urd thought to herself as the crowd of spectators focused their attentions on her. Feeling more then a little claustrophobic at the sudden attention, Urd unintentionally took a step back, knocking in to someone who'd moved up behind her. The girl grunted, and a hand moved to steady her. "Careful Little One." A woman's voice softly chided. "You wouldn't want to hurt yourself now, would you?"

The color drained from Urd's face. That voice...she knew that voice. Slowly, wide, violet eyes looked to the heavens, meeting the contemplative icy blue stare of Macha, dressed not in the more brilliant clothes Urd had seen on The Evening of Madness, but rather, the more standard, magic-riddled white battle uniform, a sleek, deadly saber resting bare and naked at her side.

The woman smiled, and Urd felt the hand on her back move to grip her shoulder. Painfully. Urd swallowed. "So tell me then..." Macha said, her eyes never leaving Urd's. "How did you loose your mother then?" The grip tightened, and Urd clenched her fists tightly. "I'd love to find her." _And destroyer her._

"I..." _want you to let me go. _The girl grit her teeth.

"What was that, Little One? Perhaps we should go inside. Who knows? Maybe you're mother is already there, searching for you as we speak." _I will not let you go so easily, Child. _With a wave of her free hand, Macha parted the crowd like water, the other one sternly guiding Urd and herself through the gates and into the city.

Urd's eyes left Macha's her gaze shifting instead to Belldandy, her eyes asking for help. Yet Belldandy seemed oblivious to Macha's intentions, and she met Urd's eyes with a happy smile, politely stepping out of the commanding Valkyries path and waving as the duo passed. "See?" She called to Urd. "Lady Macha can help us find your Mama! With her help, we'll be able to find her in no time!"

The words brought no comfort to Urd.

_No._

The girl tried to halt her pace, divert her course, _something,_ but Macha's grip was strong and certain. And nothing aside from a flat-out bolt would release her from Macha's grip. _Then what's preventing you? _A voice whispered in her mind. _When has _anything _ever stopped you? Are you not the child of the Daimakaicho herself? _The voice was snide, mocking almost. Urd could feel an angry fire sparking with it. _What is with this sudden meekness? _It taunted her. _Are you a goddess? Will you obtain an angel, one that will be devoured by your own mother? Was I wrong to come to someone so weak-willed?_

"No..." Urd's voice was barely above a whisper. That voice...She recognized that voice. The voice that tasted of magic and smelled of lightning. An image of a burning bicorn flashed past her eyes, briefly replacing the Valkyrie Macha, and Urd froze.

The goddess frowned, looking down at her 'charge'. "Little One?" She asked.

Urd's eyes flew to hers, and despite herself, Macha felt herself take a step back. _Hildr _stared back. "I..said..._no!" _Urd screamed, the markings on her face flashing and returning to their bright red. The demon grabbed the hand that had moved to hover over Urd's shoulder, and Macha gasped as red lightning danced up her arm. The goddess hissed in pain, retracting the attacked limb as Urd turned and bolted, disappearing into a crowd of various deities.

Experience kept Macha from staring after the girl in shock. Instead, she acted, clenching her injured arm to her side and shouting orders to the people around her. "The child!" The braided goddess roared. "Stop the child! Do not allow her to escape!" The Valkyrie raced after the silver-haired imp-child, fully expecting her orders to be followed.

However, the brown-haired woman had forgotten that she was not among her own, where her title and rank meant instant obedience from all but the oldest of Valkyries. Rather, she was amongst those she'd been sworn to protect, once upon a time, and rather then obediance, all Macha gained were confused stares directed toward her, many of which seemed to go out of their way to block the hunter from her prey without even realizing it. And as Urd made more and more distance between the two of them, Macha let out a frustrated growl, unwilling to alert the city's denizens to the intruder lest a riot soon follow.

The Daimakaicho's daughter was going to get away.

And that was when the Horus appeared once more.

The panic Macha was trying to prevent reared it's ugly head at that point with the great raptor's arrival, the creature still as large and bright as Urd had remembered it to be. The various gods and goddesses saw the creature, and as one, their voices rose in a scream. A mass of divine bodies shifted to move away from the creature, and Macha found herself caught within the mass's grip, carrying her away from Urd and the raptor even as she fought against the current. "No!" The woman cried, her voice melding with the screams that surrounded her and becoming indistinctive from those around the Valkyrie.

Her good hand reaching out, almost as though to grasp the child that was Urd, was her last action before the stampede carried her out of sight.

Yet with Urd it was a different story.

Her markings an angry red, small bolts of aggravated electricity danced harmlessly across her body, called and waiting for use by their mistress of choice. Urd ignored them, however, in favor of the large bird that had been the cause of her misfortune in her new residual realm. The child growled angrily at the bird, and the activity caused her magic to spike dangerously.

"You!" Urd snarled. "This is all _your _fault! If you hadn't brought me to this place, I wouldn't be hunted down by a damned Valkyrie right now!" She hadn't noticed that said Valkyrie was no longer in the area. "Why did you bring me here? This isn't even my home! I'm a demon, not some goody-goody goddess!"

As if in response to her anger, a streak of lightning shot from her arm, aiming for the Roc with a mind of it's own and impacting a mystical shield inches from the bright creature's body. Urd screamed in rage.

"Urd! What are you doing? Stop it!" A new voice joined the odd pair as Belldandy ran up to them, confusion thrown all about her face as she stared from the electric-Urd to the bright falcon. She moved to stand between the smaller combatant and the bird. "Please don't hurt my Papa!"

"Papa?" Urd echoed the word in surprise, the hostile light of her magic dampening at her friends revelation, only to return with an even brighter force as the demon grit her teeth. "_Papa?_ Do you know what he did to me Belldandy? He's that one that took me from my Mama!" She shouted, ignoring how Belldandy flinched at her tone in her rage. "And I don't even know why, either! I don't want to be here, surrounded by a bunch of crazies trying to kill me! I want to go home, to Niflheim, where my mother is!"

Tears were adding to her rage now, and with a frustrated growl, Urd angrily wiped them away. "Belldandy, I'm not some goddess like you! I don't belong here. I want to go _home!" _This time Urd's voice rose into a mournful howl, surprising Belldandy with the emotions the other girl could almost _feel_. The blue-eyed girl blinked, dropping hands that had been risen in a futile effort to protect the one dearest to her, letting the limbs fall limp to her sides. She looked back at her father's avatar, her face once again a mask of confusion. Why would her father take Urd from her mother? Was her mother a Bad Person?

It was the only reason she could possibly think of behind her father's actions, and with a soft frown, she turned her full attention back to Urd. "Well...what if you came to live with me instead?" She asked, her entire demeanor deadly serious. "You wouldn't be alone that way-you'd have me around, and we could go play in the forest every day!"

Urd sniffed, the angry aura that had surrounded her diminishing somewhat as she took in Belldandy's words. "We could go into the city and make a whole bunch of friends! Or go swimming with everyone in the ocean, or-" The child threw her hands into the air, seeming to lack the social skills needed to continue further. "...And the best part is that you wouldn't be alone." Belldandy finished softly, staring earnestly at her darker friend.

_Not alone..._something in those final words struck a chord inside her, and furiously, Urd shook her head. "No." She said flatly. "It just won't be the same without Mama or Marller or any of the old Slayers around." She said, taking a step away from Belldandy and the Horus. "I just...I want to go home." The girl sounded defeated and tired, her expression subdued as she looked down at the ground. Somehow, it hurt Belldandy more then anything else prior.

_Then I shall grant you that wish. By all means, let us depart from this blessed place. _

Urd's head snapped up as her mother's voice entered her mind. The raptor that was Belldandy's father shrieked as well, taking off into the air just as a dark shadow appeared under where it had been standing, observing, mere moments beforehand. And it was from the portal that first one clawed hand, then another, and another, until a total of six limbs emerged from the center. Each resembled something else-the paw of a great cat, the cloven hoof of a beast, a taloned bird's foot, and several more, before out pulled the..._things_ body-some form of misshaped creature thrown together with the various parts of various beasts.

A hydra's neck, which diverged into seven great, fearsome heads. Scales mixed with flesh, fur clashed with armor. Spikes, horns, claws and fangs protruded from what seemed like various vicious angels, mixing and melding along each other and producing a creature from the deepest recesses of one's mind.

Belldandy screamed.

Urd laughed.

The avatar of Hild had finally arrived.

As one, the seven heads of The Beast roared, the several that _did_ have eyes centering on the Horus, snapping hungrily at the raptor as it descended into a dive. The creature narrowly avoided the various jaws, beaks, and mouths of The Beast, instead focusing on Belldandy and swooping the child off the ground. The child safely within its grasp, the falcon shrieked an angry challenge at the monster, angry at the intrusion the other had made on its territory and the threat it held to the Roc's young.

The monstrosity that had arisen from the lower pits of hell responded likewise, a sound no divine being exiting its seven throats as it moved to curl around Urd, effectively creating a boundary no divine being could ever hope to pass. "Mama..." gingerly, Urd touched that beast that was a representation of her mother's thoughts, grinning slightly at the heat that radiated from the creature's flesh. "You found me...we can go home now!"

At her words, one of the sightless heads turned to regard her, focusing on her voice more then anything else. Little more then a large fanged mouth, the thing's jaw parted slightly in a raspy hiss, causing Urd to frown. She knew what it wanted, and could understand it's feelings. "But still...I'm tired of this place..." Urd said, the exhaustion that she'd felt depart with her 'mother's' arrival returning in full force. "Can we just go home? Besides, Belldandy isn't all that bad." She pointed the child out. "...and if I ever wind up here again, it'd at least be nice to find someone besides _that-"_ this time her finger moved towards the Horus. "-for a friend."

More of the heads turned to her words at the younger one's speech, jaws parting in a horrifying mockery of disbelief.

_Fine. If that is what you so desire, I shall allow it this one time._ Hild's voice whispered through Urd's mind, and once again a dark portal began to open, this time under The Beast and Urd. As several long, dark tendril appeared to wrap themselves around The Beast and Urd, pulling the duo down into the depths of Niflheim below, all seven of the creature's heads turned to the Horus.

Urd didn't know what was shared between the two greater beings, nor did Belldandy, if the look of fascination she wore simply looking down at Urd and her mother's avatar were any indication. The the Horus let loose one final bellow, The Beast one final scream, and the bright blue sky that Urd had awoken to was gone.

Her last sight of Heaven was of Belldandy, waving good-bye to her despite the circumstances, the words _I hope we meet again..._being her last parting sentence before the portal closed itself once more.

~*~

A/N: Guess who's back from tech school?

It is currently 0102 on Sunday, the day I depart for my next duty station four hours from home. I've been working on and off this chapter all throughout the eight months I've been a prisoner at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX.

Sharing a room smaller then most hotel rooms with two other females is not fun.

Sharing a _bathroom_ with five other females is even worse.

Thank the gods I'm done with it.

Anyways, do to the fact that I still have no clue what it is I'll be doing at my next base, I felt obligated to complete this chapter for you all before getting whisked away by gods knows what. Hopefully it was worth all the time and effort I put into it. And I'm not sure, but I think this is my longest chapter so far!

So please, tell me, had badly has my writing deteriorated? Being forced to work with nothing but powerpoint for the past half-year has seriously put a dampener on my imagination and I'm not sure if I'm still able to crank them out like I used to. So please, any constructive criticism will be nice.

Shutting up now and going to sleep as I've discovered that I have the tendency to rant nowadays.

Goodnight.


	7. Aftermath

Origins

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Urd awoke with a gasp, the remainders of a dream that was not flowing to the back of her mind as she stared across the room at an unfamiliar wall. The child blinked, eyes still blurry with sleep slowly focusing on a dark wooden chest placed eloquently underneath a window looking out to a dark forest. The girl frowned in confusion, the chest seeming familiar yet implacable with a mind still foggy with sleep.

Where was she?

Violet orbs slowly scanned the room, examining it's possessions with all the concentration one so young was capable of. She was warm, though not overly so-the dark comforter that covered her small body was just warm enough to keep Urd in the last remaining throws of grogginess, something she allowed to linger, too comfortable in the large canopy bed to bother caring. She continued her visual observation.

Beside the chest and the window, off to the left, a weapons display lined with oiled staffs, swords, pikes, and other miscellaneous killing devices shown dully in a light not wholly natural. At the edge of Urd's vision, just above her line of sight, the little girl could catch the faint traces of a wing-mount, glistening like a crystal, hung above her head, no doubt the trophy of some angel slayer fortunate enough to stay sane long enough to prevent himself from damaging the prized item. Eyes traveled south, where a dresser of a dark red hue rested at the foot of the bed.

All familiar, yet nothing she could place.

Something shifted against her back, and a long, feather-dressed arm entered her field of vision, snaking around Urd's torso and pulling her in to the object at her back, and the child felt a soft sigh glide through silver locks as Hild's grip became more secure. Young, violet eyes stared at the arm, head tilting to follow the limb to it's owner.

For all her mother's eyes were closed, something in the lightness of her breath told Urd that Hild was not asleep.

For several seconds, Urd did nothing but stare at her mother's face, wondering who would make the first move.

Urd never was a master of patience.

"Momma?"

A corner of Hild's mouth twitched upwards in a smirk, yet her eyes refused to open. Urd continued, sensing a game and happily playing into it, safe as she was in her mother's embrace.

"Mama?" She repeated, tilting her head to one side and feeling her hair brush her mother's arm. "Mama...mom...mommy..ma...mother..." Urd continued, watching in open delight as the smirk gave way to a soft grin, Hild still refusing to open her eyes regardless of Urd's calls. Deciding to grow creative with the game, Urd began thinking up the various titles she'd heard other entities call her mother in the past.

"Hild...Devil Lady...Daimakaicho...Seven-Headed Beast...Crowned Monstrosity...Mother Harlot...Lord of Nightmares...Temptress of the Damned...Devil's Valkyrie...Soloman's Mistress...The Original Goetia Demon...Dweller of the Void...Lady of the Battlefield...Most Feared Woman Alive...Angel Spooker...Stoneage Lawyer..."

Each title seemed to grow more and more objective, to the point where Hild snorted at Urd's final title, opening her eyes at last and ruffling Urd's short hair with her free hand. "All right, that's enough out of you." She murmured affectionately, a small part of her uncharacteristically cherishing the giggles that escaped her daughter's throat.

The laughter was the most beautiful sound she'd heard in a good many centuries. And up until a little while ago, Hild had been scared to high Heaven that she'd never hear it again.

"_You were careless Hild."_

Even now, Urd safe in her arms and still sleepy from a sleep-that-was-not, _His_ words were still fresh in her mind.

"_You! You _dare_ take Urd from me? She is a demon, not some godling!"_

It had been a conversation of beasts, a language no creature could ever comprehend without obtaining an avatar of it's own. Hild's avatars, from majestic, crowned and horned entities to seven-headed monsters, were the closest creatures the Daimakaicho could ever compare to a Deity's angel.

"_And you, Hild, are a selfish fool if you believe I'd let Urd go."_ That had been _His_ response. _"Do not delude yourself into believing that Urd is no Deity simply because she is _your_ child. Do not be so selfish as to believe that you are the only one who care for her. I know what happened, just as you did, and I took the appropriate actions in regards to the situation."_

Even though the words were now old, they still bit into her like Nidhogg did the roots of Yggdrasil.

"_You were not there when she needed you, Hild. I was. Had I not taken her, she would be with neither of us as of now. You know this as well as I, and if the realm you dwell in is so hazardous to my blood, then I refuse to allow her to dwell within it at all."_

"_You would take my only child from me? Despite the fact that you've already gone about producing another offspring?"_ Hild was no fool. That little girl had the same blue eyes as _He_ did. Another portion of her, locked and caged deep within her soul, shrieked in rage, screaming for a blood she'd never have.

"_I'm taking her back."_

"_And for this one time, I will allow it. However, should another incident in which I feel Urd's life is endangered because of her position, I will not hesitate to take her back. I will not allow my oldest child to die by the hands of negligence, Hild."_

Negligence.

She'd been accused of _negligence_.

And by the same man who, from what she'd seen, allowed his only other offspring to be raised at the hands of another entity.

Negligence her ass.

She'd go to war with the Heavens themselves before she allowed _That Man _to take her daughter from her.

"Hey Mama?" Urd's voice tore Hild from the memories and back to the present once more. She looked down, meeting her youthful reflection and smiling at the life displayed in Urd's eyes.

Life she'd seen absent from those same eyes several hours ago.

"I had a strange dream, Mama." Urd continued, snuggling into her mother's side and embracing the heat radiating from the Demon Queen's body. "It was strange. I was at one place, and then a giant bird came and took me someplace else." The child frowned at the memory, recalling the blur that felt more like a dream then an experience. "It was really bright-nothing was the way it should have been." Urd's face scrunched up in displeasure, and Hild grunted as small, sharp elbows dug into her stomach as Urd sought a more comfortable position curled up against her mother. "And there were Gods there Mommy..." She said softly. "And _Valkyries_. One of them tried to kill me, but I don't think she was a Valkyrie. But..." Urd paused, memories of an alien kindness granted to her in a moment of weakness and desperation.

The grip around Urd's waist tightened an Hild hugged her daughter, and the child grinned. "Forget it." The Daimakaicho said. _Nothing good can arise from such memories. _"It was only a dream, yes?" With a small frown, Urd nodded her head, and Hild continued. "Then you should not dwell on it. Dreams are not real, thus it would be foolish to dwell on them longer then necessary." A wicked light manifested in Hild's eyes, and the woman smiled. "Besides, I believe you've had more then enough fun, especially after everything you put me through."

* * *

It had not been a good day for the Slayer clan entrusted with the responsibility of watching the Daimakaicho-to-be with Hild busy with her work.

The small trio had made it to the half way point between home and the corpse before Marller, covered still in blood that had dried and begun to flake off with her every move, collapsed into a heap of exhaustion, the cane-blade and Slayer knife she'd been instructed to carry spilling from her arms and to the forest floor. The disturbance had caused Mara, his own hands full with a child that felt too light, her expression too peaceful, her appearance too much like those who had once fallen in battle, to pause, turning to look back to where his grandchild followed in his shadow.

The fanged girl-child kneeled to pick up her fallen cargo, looking to more collapse then actually kneel. Her movements were slow with fatigue as the exhaustion brought down upon her from fights, runs and an over all emotional drainage that finally took it's toll on her young body.

Fool.

He'd been a fool, putting so much reliance on the child, treating her as one of his fellows and not the child Marller truly was. And while he had to give the girl credit-since leaving the corpse, the little girl hadn't voiced a word of complaint about the conditions thrust upon her-something that could not be said for many demons who sought out the rank of Slayer and discovered how difficult a title it was to acquire. He'd taught her well. The fact that one so young had been able to come so far without falling also did not escape his notice, and again he had to give the little blond credit, if only for her sheer dogged determination.

_She'd be a good survivalist as a Slayer._ Mara mused, watching as Marller struggled to re-obtain her weapons and rise to her feet. The red-eyed child was unsuccessful on either attempt, and with a sigh of exhaustion and frustration, she fell to her rear, head bowed as she glared angrily at the blades before a grunt, Mara kneeled down next to his grandchild, where Marller looked up to him at the sudden action.

"Pick up the knife, sheath it in your blouse." He ordered, watching as Marller struggled to follow his instructions. As his old blade disappeared underneath her soiled shirt once more, Mara nodded in approval. "Grab my cane and hold it tight. Now get on my back. I'll not juggle a child with a weapon, and I'll be blessed by an angel before I allow any weapon of mine to lay discarded in this forest."

And so it was that with an unconscious Urd cradled gently in his arms and a Marller who'd collapsed from her own exhaustion clinging to his back, Mara had carefully made his way back through the forest, leaving a rather large rooster to guard the corpse of a slain bicorn. What, or rather, _whom_ he found upon exiting the forest was a rather irate Hild, awaiting the small group with an expression that spoke of a calm before a storm. Despite the neutral expression that her face displayed, her eyes had held a rage he'd come to associate only with the divine, and when Hild had uncrossed her arms and held them open, Mara had wordlessly handed Urd over, sensing more to an untold tale then the Daimakaicho was willing to admit to.

What worried him the most, however, was the smell of death that hung silently in the air, clinging to Hild like some sickening aura.

And below that, fear.

The elder Slayer followed his leader back into his dwelling, following Hild up the stairs as she moved to take residence in his quarters while Mara had moved to deposit his own kin in the room he allowed Marller to call her own. His granddaughter safely resting in a safer environment, Mara then returned to the living room area, finding Hild once more. The woman's expression was carefully neutral, staring out a window and into the shadow forest beyond. She was sitting on a dark couch, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her legs, fingers interlaced together and hiding the lower portion of her face from his gaze.

The eyes that shifted to gaze upon the man upon sensing his presence were those of a demon who was not fully present, and dimly the Slayer wondered what had stolen away a fraction of the Daimakaicho's spirit.

"_That One has her." She said, violet eyes filled with the presence of the Void itself staring at Mara with some unknown emotion. Hild had always been a challenge when it came to displays of emotion-even those close to her had difficulties interpreting what one emotion meant over another. For those who didn't know her, it was near impossible. "He doesn't want to return her, either." Interlaced fingers twitched, the knuckles a lighter pink excluding from a tight grip against her flesh. She focused on him, and The Beast stared out from behind hungry violet irises. "I won't let Him have her. She belongs to me, and would sooner taste the blood of an angel then would feel the aura of a goddess." The predator narrowed her eyes. "She is of my flesh and blood. And I would sooner slaughter the whole race of them then would I willingly allow her to join their ranks."_

"_What will you do, then?"_

_Her head raised itself from where it hid behind her hands, giving him a full view of the bestial snarl that adorned her lips._

"_I'll take her back. Even if I have to slaughter every living creature that dwells withing that blessed realm, by the time I am fully myself again, Urd will be with Us once more."_

"_Even if your actions bring about Ragnarök?"_

_A smile slowly spread across her face, bloodthirsty and predatory as only the Daimakaicho's, the Devil's Valkyrie, could make it._

"_Especially if it brings about Ragnarök."_

Yet there had been no war, no rage, no fear nor call to arms to signal what would have been a sign of the End of Days. Only a brightening within eyes that had dimmed as Hild fully returned to herself, Urd's astral body following behind like a lost child before returning to it's true body within Niflheim. With it came a tiredness that aged Hild's face to the point where it would not have been hard to believe the Daimakaicho to be as old as her people knew her to be, a world weary look that spoke of one too many close calls and had just slipped past another would-be disaster.

"Lady Daimakaicho?"

Amethyst eyes blinked, centered on Mara, focused on his form. A long sigh, and it was as though some invisible weight that had been carried on Hild's shoulders had vanished. "I'm fine." She murmured, her voice a soft, cool order for silence. A moment of silence that stretched on through eternity, and then Hild stood from where she'd sat, running long fingers through a mane of silver.

"The one behind my child's departure from this realm...it is dead, yes?" She inquired, her gaze like those of a falcon upon a rat. At his nod, she smiled. "Good." She cooed. "A bicorn, correct? You reek heavily of them, Mara." A grunt and another nod of agreement, and Hild bobbed her head up and down likewise, a plan slowly beginning to form in the recesses of her mind.

"Then let us depart for where the body lays while the children rest." She stated, already making her way to the entrance of the dwellings without bothering to look behind her to check if her comrade was following. "They shall be fine while we're gone, and I've a sudden craving for meat."

* * *

'Waste' was a term unfamiliar within the realms of Niflheim. In a land whose environment was cruel and its inhabitants crueler still, it was not uncommon for a predator to suddenly find itself prey to the very creature it hunted, as Urd's adventure with the bicorn had demonstrated. Where food could often times be considered tainted and poisonous to so many demons simply due to a demon's natural malicious and deceiving nature, especially within the greater populated areas, it was often safer, at least consumption-wise, to forage in lesser demon-inhabited areas.

The forest within Mara's territory was one such area, designated a kill zone by the Daimakaicho herself towards any wayward demon looking for a safer bite to eat. Given to Mara to guard, it was as much a hunting ground as it was a piece of territory, open exclusively to the Slayers branch that she'd created and fought beside.

In the forest, no beast was considered exempt from Niflheim's cruel food chain.

Bicorns, the very mounts the Slayers rode, were no exception.

Especially one that had tried to kill the offspring of not one, but two of the Slayer-Kin.

Now, approaching a carcass that had grown cold with death, overshadowed by a great raptor 'guised in a rooster's body, Hild's smile was grim. The fallen equine had been virtually untouched from where it had fallen at Mara's hands, not even the great red cock hovering in the tree above, staring greedily down at the corpse with hungry golden eyes.

The woman paused before it, a hand moving to rub her chin in thought as Hild examined the damage that had been wrought upon the corpse. Burn marks, charred and blistered flesh, the one sole area unmarred being the portion of the back Urd had found herself upon, fingers interwoven in hair that had charred to a crispy black with each strike as she struggled to stay atop.

The Daimakaicho kneeled before the corpse, a bronze hand reaching to graze the sole patch of hair left on the bicorn and pulling away pieces of charred flesh as a sleeve grazed the surrounding tissue. "Impressive." The woman murmured, her minds eye flashing with memories not her own, watching as bolt after bolt of electricity traveled from the heavens down upon child and equine. "This will take some looking into..."

The silver-haired woman rose swiftly, wheeling to face the old Slayer and unclasping the hook to her feathered cloak in one elegant motion. Removing it, Hild spoke once more, this time addressing the blond man. "Come." She said, folding the cloak neatly in a manner that spoke of long practice and habit before placing it off to one side. "Let us begin."

Between the two demons, it was a fairly quick process to prepare the carcass for travel. The remaining blood was drained and stored in a smaller container, useful as a dye for uniforms that worked as a passive propellant to the divine, where the blood of a creature so foul could be considered poisonous and tainted to one so pure. Bone was left in tact, where it would remain until the flesh surrounding it was stripped free and consumed. What remained would be used in the production of weapons or tools and ingredients for various potions. The small patch of unscathed hair that remained was skinned and cut away from the damaged flesh surrounding it, stored away for a purpose only Hild knew. The remaining charred flesh was left in tact-a means of crude protection to protect the meat that lay underneath from growing too tainted before it grew time to consume.

The duo tore open the corpse from where it's stomach had been slit open, withdrawing the remaining intestines that had fallen from the hole and placing them under the tree Fjalar roosted under-a gift for aiding in the beast's death and guarding the corpse from scavengers that would have stripped it clean before Hild and Mara could even return. They removed the remaining internal organs. The heart and liver were kept, while the remaining organs were stored away for bait and feed for other prey-beasts and work-beasts.

They returned from the forest with what remained, dividing the carcass between the two of them.

Her arms filled with a prize she did not catch for a change, it was a small snarl that spoke of a magic too wild for most others to control from Hild that forced the door to the home open, the wood the object consisted of nearly tearing off it's hinges as though desperate to be out of the way of the Daimakaicho and her companion. Silently, the duo strode inside, Hild making her way to the kitchen to deposit her possessions with Mara a contrasting shadow behind her.

Hearing a soft grunt of effort as Mara rested his own cargo on the ground, Hild turned to face him with a thin smile. "Keep the head in tact and move a small portion of the blood to a vial." She ordered. "Otherwise..." The Daimakaicho turned her back once more to the man. "...I leave the rest to you."

She left him where he stood within the kitchen.

A creature of darkness that had lived before the existence of light made fire a probability, Hild was a woman who could, and often times would, consume raw flesh as a mortal might devour raw fish. If one were to ask her, the Daimakaicho would even go so far as to say she preferred the taste of bloody, torn flesh to even the rarest of cooked meat, and often-times had to remind herself that not everyone, such as her daughter, was born in the tenth-dimensional Dark Age that she had lived through, and that they did not share her strange fondness for a fresh meat of a different kind.

And while she had picked up some rudimentary skills as a cook in her long life-a requirement, she discovered, when raising a child all her own and helping in provisions for her men during a war that had taken place before time began, she was far from any sort of chef, and the idea of adding seasonings and sauces to meats and vegetables-what little Niflheim could produce-was a fact that still alluded her taste buds. Had it not been for the Slayers, especially the younger generations that Urd constantly found herself surrounded by, the poor child would probably have no sense of taste whatsoever as a consequence to Hild's idea of 'food'.

It would be several centuries before Hild moved past her stubborn taste buds and older mindset to the point where she actually bothered to learn to add such flavors-especially when she discovered that a small change in taste caused by a poison or potion could be disguised with seasonings and sauces.

The Daimakaicho exited the kitchen, Hild's expression growing grim as she made her way to the stairs-to her daughter-as memories still fresh and ripe darkened her thoughts once more.

"Lady Daimakaicho?"

A mind lost in the throws of rage leaving Hild with a temper strung upon a short leash, the voice made her jump, and Hild whirled upon the owner of the voice, a snarl escaping the Daimakaicho and scaring Marller back around the corner the child tentatively peeked at her from behind. A wave of surprise arose within the woman, and Hild blinked, the Beast that had briefly overtaken the Woman settling back down within her breast once more.

"Marller?" Hild called out softly.

Slit red eyes peered cautiously from around the corner once more, and Hild tilted her head off to one side in curiosity. "Child, what are you doing up and about?" The Daimakaicho kneeled, allowing the appearance of one who was not a threat to overtake her and further luring the demon-child out from the corner.

The tactic worked as Marller slowly moved into full view. Her outfit had changed-gone were the soiled and bloody clothes Hild had seen the child adorned in riding upon her grandfather's back. In it's place were a set of clean clothes of various shades of blacks and reds.

Had Marller not actively called out to Hild, the Daimakaicho realized, the child would have been all but unnoticed against the wall she stood next to with how well her clothes blended with the surrounding environment.

"Ah...I...I wanted to..." Marller's eyes darted from the Daimakaicho to the ground and back again, nervously stammering out her words as she rubbed an arm, covering a bruise that had not existed when Hild had originally left Urd with the family.

Another reminder of the dangers of the forest.

Hild pushed the thought away. The danger had been dealt with.

The Demon Queen focused once more on the child, taking a small bit of amusement caused by the girl's anxiety. "Marller, calm yourself." She stated. "Whatever it is, I'm not going to smite you or hold it against you." _Your grandfather on the other hand..._

The Daimakaicho watched as the little blond did as ordered, the nervous dance Marller had been trying hard not to do in front of Hild becoming more constrained and less obvious. Hild nodded in approval. "Good girl. Now, again, what is it you wish to tell me?"

The fanged child took a deep breath, releasing it in a hiss.

"I'm sorry."

It was the first time Hild would ever recall having been so shocked as to have lost her balance and fallen flat on her face.

In her future dealings with Marller, she would quickly discover it would not be the last.

Quickly scurrying to her feet and regaining her composure and what little dignity remained, Hild stared down at the small child before her. "What was that?" She demanded, wondering if her hearing was starting to leave her and that she perhaps misheard Marller's words.

Marller frowned, a look of confusion at her great leader's attitude arising on her own features. "Uh..." She hesitated, suddenly unsure if she wanted to repeat what she'd said.

Hild narrowed her eyes.

Marller panicked. "I'm sorry!" She cried, confirming to Hild that her hearing was not, in fact, going to the Almighty. "It's my fault that Urd got hurt! If I hadn't...if I'd only..." The child's shoulder's were trembling now, and with a maternal instinct Hild would come to curse more then once, the Daimakaicho kneeled once more, a dark hand moving to rest upon long blond curls.

"You honestly feel this way?" She questioned, her voice soft and soothing.

At Marller's nod, the Daimakaicho frowned. Guilt was not an emotion most demons felt. Neither was the idea of taking responsibility for actions that, in the end, proved detrimental rather then beneficial. Honesty? Hild could count the number of honest demons she knew on one hand, there were so few. Such traits were foreign concepts to those that dwelled within Niflheim, belonging more to the gods above then the demons below.

There were exceptions, of course: Hild herself was one of the few demons who actively believed in honesty, and every now and then she'd come across a demon or two who'd proclaim responsibility for some great disaster. Yet even then, there was usually something wrong with that demon, something that put them apart from others.

And that was...

"Stop with this behavior now, Child." Hild murmured softly, ruffling golden locks. "What happened cannot be helped-what is done is what is done." The silver-haired woman smiled as Marller calmed under her touch, staring at the Daimakaicho with wide open eyes. "Regret is not an emotion we demons hold close. We do not benefit from such an emotion, and it will only hinder you in coming years to make it a common feeling. Do you understand?"

At Marller's nod, the Daimakaicho rose once more, patting Marller's head gently. "Good." She said. "Now why don't you see if you can learn something beneficial from your grandfather and help him cook. Another nod, and with Hild's dismissal, the child moved to walk past her and towards the kitchen.

"Oh yes, one more thing Marller." The child paused, looking back to the demon leader in curiosity. A smile still aligned Hild's face, however something had changed in her body language, and instinctively Marller grew wary once more. "Tell me Child...what was the name of your father?"

The red-eyed girl relaxed at the question, the wariness evaporating at something so innocent asked. "Mimir." She stated.

As Hild nodded once more in dismissal, the blond scampered off, disappearing into the room her grandfather was in. A curse arose from within as the child startled an adult demon whose mind had been dedicated to the task thrown onto him, followed by more shouts as the startled demon scolded the younger generation.

Yet as entertaining as the confrontation no doubt had to be, Hild tuned it out, thoughts that had already grown troubled darkening further as she made her way up the stairs to where her daughter rested. Guilt, regret, and honesty...traits indeed rare within the demon-kin. Hild was one who felt them. Urd was another. And now it seemed Marller had joined those rare ranks, which meant...

Hild shook her head, bringing herself out of her thoughts and back to the present. "Come, my little troublemaker." She cooed, earning another smile from her daughter. "Let us get you cleaned up and downstairs. I'm sure you must be hungry."

As if to verify Hild's statement, a low rumbling sound made it's presence known as the idea of food entered Urd's mind, startling the child and earning a smile of her own from Hild.

Five minutes later found the mother-daughter combination making there way downstairs, Urd changed out of her own destroyed outfit and into something a little cooler with the coming heat of the later day. They both wore similar expressions on their faces at the sound of a screaming and cursing that refused to stop.

The two made their way to the source of the noise, Hild's frown deepening and Urd's expression changing to one of curiosity as they grew near the kitchen, and the duo came to a halt in the doorway of the room.

Urd's mouth dropped.

Hild's eyes narrowed.

"Don't drop me! Don't drop me!" Marller repeated the phrase over and over again like some strange mantra, bare feet kicking the air from where they dangled above a large boiling pot. Her hands were wrapped tightly around Mara's wrist, who held the child by the scruff of her shirt above the pot, an enraged expression on his face.

"Now do you understand what happens when you don't listen?" The Slayer roared. "You get _eaten_!"

Hild coughed.

The sudden silence that descended upon the group at the sound was deafening.

As two pairs of red eyes focused on Hild, the Daimakaicho smiled.

It was not pleasant.

Urd, whose own gaze had taken to darting between her mother and the two blonds, recognized the smile for what it was and wisely took several steps away from the woman, seeking shelter from the storm that was about to erupt at any one moment. A child as mischievous as they came, Urd had become all to familiar with the smile currently adorned on her mother's face whenever she'd been caught in a scheme that had gone horribly, horribly right.

She'd often wondered if the punishment was worth the crime.

"Mara." Hild spoke, her voice calm and sweet-tempered, the calm before the storm. "You wouldn't be doing what I think you are, would you?"

Almost as if the limb had a mind of it's own, the hand holding Marller above the boiling kettle moved away from the pot, stiff and straight and mechanical, before gently lowering the young girl to the ground.

She bolted as soon as her grandfather's grip on her collar loosened.

"Daimakaicho..." Mara's words were cautious, addressing Hild by the more professional title as a man who knew he'd done great error. "It...it's not what you think..."

"Is it now?"

Hild was not a strict ruler. Niflheim, for all it was lead under her rule and her alone, was not what many would consider a dictatorship. The laws were few and simple, leaving many a demon to do as he or she wished so long as they followed the few laws set, quite literally, in stone. Up until the introduction of the latest law-one that was to help act as a sort of armistice between Niflheim and Heaven, a rule of every demon is to have a divine doublet, it had not been illeagle or even considered 'extreme' to kill a demon that broke a law.

The doublet system, however, changed all that.

However, that did not mean that the punishments for criminals had lightened by any means. In fact, if one were to ask an elder demon, one who'd been alive from the times of war between the two great nations, he or she might say that they preferred the idea of death. In comparison of the punishments wrought down upon the demons of the present, death was a luxury.

Limitations, it seemed, only brought out the more creative aspects of Hild's personality.

Mara knew that, having often been ordered to deal the punishment by Hild, and knew just how creative she could be.

The crimes dealt for harming a child were especially creative.

Once upon a time, it had not been illegal to harm demonic or divine offspring. Urd's birth however, and the discovery of just how delicate a life one so young was by Hild, changed all that. Having never had a childhood that Hild could actively account for, it had been more then a challenging learning experience-one that became a somewhat simpler task after the law was passed.

And while Mara had not been in the process of such an action-something both elder and child knew about, Hild was never the type to stand and listen to explanations. The Daimakaicho took a step towards the Slayer, a sadistic look dawning in her eyes. This, added on to the stress of all other recent activities, was going to lead to a rather painful experience on someones behalf.

Hild knew this as she took another step towards the man.

The hair's on the back of his neck rising in alarm, Mara froze, his mouth drawing to a thin line as he grew tense. He knew this as well.

Seeing that her prey had come to the same conclusion as she, Hild's smile was a wolf's grin, watching at the man before her cautiously took a step to the left, leading off into a slow, circular waltz between them both. Off to one side, standing outside the room of the soon-to-be combatants, Urd and Marller watched on silently with wide eyes.

Daimakaicho and Slayer worked their way to the opposite sides of the room, and it was only a familiar twinkle in Hild's eyes that saved the man from being run down by Hild. The woman rushed him, a serpent about to strike. Marller cried out in warning, and her grandfather tensed, crouching, and _leaping_ over Hild, a mongoose who'd lost its teeth against the snake. Hild wheeled around, preparing herself for a counterattack as the fanged man landed on his good leg near a window. The grin on the silver-haired woman's face had grown insane with her opponent's action as the hunter that had been withheld during Hild's invasion of Heaven began to surface.

Yet even as the violet eyed woman turned, the attack she was expecting never came.

Instead, Mara launched himself once more into the air with his good leg, colliding with the window he'd landed near. There was a shattering of glass as his body impacted with the window, and then the man was outside, a grimace that mirrored the insane smile of Hild's on his face. The slayer landed, this time on both feet and paying for it with a stumble, before regaining his balance and bolting into the forest, disappearing from sight before anyone in the room even had time to register what had just happened.

Several seconds of silence passed as the trio stared at the now destroyed window. The light of madness fading from within violet eyes, Hild shrugged and returned her attention to the two children still with her. A silver brow raised in amusement at the near identical expressions on the duo's faces.

It was Urd who finally gave voice to the question swimming within both children's minds.

"What in the Almighty's name just happened?"

* * *

Several minutes later found two children sitting at a table, staring down at the overly-large white wing that took up more then half of the table's surface. Circling the table like a vulture, Hild went about depositing different materials on whatever space had not been covered by the wing, setting brushes and paints wherever there was room.

"So is that what happened?" Hild mused aloud, catching Marller's blond head nodding vigorously in agreement. A thin smile. "I'd thought it had to have been something else." She said. "I've known you're grandfather long enough to know that such an action was extremely unlikely, but one can never be too sure with our kind."

From where she sat next to Marller, Urd frowned, setting the large feather she'd been examining down on the table. "But why'd he run?" she asked. "I'd have thought he'd have fought back-not turn and run."

Marller snorted at the comment, but otherwise remained silent.

Hild chuckled as well, reaching over to ruffle her daughter's hair. "Once upon a time, it was not uncommon for a Slayer to find itself outnumbered by Valkyries." She said. "In such times, it was easier to simply retreat-find a safe zone and call for help, or lure them into a trap and strike them down one by one. We had been few in numbers back then, and had we stopped to fight a force we knew was stronger then us, Niflheim would not be as it is today."

The woman reached over her daughter's head, plucking the feather Urd had been holding off the table. "It is the most basic instinct, honed and refined to the point of a tactic: fight or flight. Fight if you are doing well against your opponent, yet at the first sign of a loosing battle, make a stance, and then turn and flee." The Daimakaicho snagged a brush off the table, dipping the tip in the black paint placed next to it and stoking a thin line of black across the feather. "After all, a demon is of no use to us if he is dead."

"Do you think Gramps has realized you aren't chasing him yet?" Marller asked, following Hild's actions and tentatively applying her own design to the feather she had, pausing and waiting for the Daimakaicho's nod of approval before continuing.

Handing the feather back to Urd, who scrunched her face up in a mask of displeasure at the marking made before moving to apply her own design, Hild shrugged. "It's hard to say." She said, shifting to sit in a chair next to her daughter before searching out a good feather from the large wing before her. "I've known that old man of yours for a great many years, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that whenever there's even a slight scent of a loosing battle, your grandfather is among the first to flee." A large toothy smile lightened up the Daimakaicho's face as she found a feather that met her approval before plucking it from where it rested, grabbing a brush, and following the younger generation in designs. "I've known him to run for hours, if only to escape his own paranoia that the enemy is right behind him."

"Is that why we're painting feathers instead of eating?" Urd asked, holding her feather up in the air for inspection with a frown. Chaotic swirls of black and white had marred the purity of the feather, the designs seeming to move on their own accord as she slowly twisted the feather between two fingers.

Examining her friend's design, Marller held hers up for comparison-more geometric patterns of straight lines and right angles then the more natural twists and twirls found on Urd's.

Hild grinned at both, setting aside the feather she herself had been working on-one that held designs and patterns that held more meaning to the demons under her command then the children at the table, and grunted. Plucking another three feathers from the wing and depositing them in front of each demon respectively, she said, "Come now, I'd have thought you'd have enjoyed something like this Urd." The mother moved her finished feather near her daughter, where Hild's unique magical signature began to form.

Startled, Urd looked to her mother with wide violet eyes, meeting a matching pair that sparkled with amusement. "We do not simply decorate the feathers of dead angels simply because it 'looks nice', my dear." The Daimakaicho said, catching Marller's eyes from off to the side and holding them, a silent message that the words Hild spoke were not simply for Urd alone. "Angels are creatures of near pure magic, given thought and form by the deities that house them. As such, they make excellent conductors for our magic, allowing a caster to amplify a spell or gain access to spells normally outside their level of expertise. A demon with an inherent weakness to magic may find a shield in the guise of a feather in his ear, while another requiring the stealth of a shadow may find that his sounds are muted with a feather woven into his hair."

The wild haired woman moved to brush a lock of stray silver behind her ear, fully exposing the obsidian feather that dangled from her ear lobe. "They also serve another purpose." Hild said. "For while their uses as magical items are infinite, they are also a statement of what we are. Since the first angel fell by demon hands, the feathers have been worn to show the status of a Slayer, speaking of a Slayer's accomplishment be it to Heaven or Hell. No demon can glance at you without knowing what you hail from. No deity can ever look at you without knowing that you come from the same blood that was responsible for so many deaths. One of a demon's awe and a deity's fear."

Urd frowned, finding her gaze drawn to the black feathers in either ear. No creature withing Niflheim had feathers such a shade as the black that had been painted onto the feathers, nor was there any creatures with feathered wings such a pure white-all evidence as to who and what the Slayers were, with Hild being the only one with white feathers painted a full black. The child pulled her gaze back to the two feathers in front of her, one finished the other still in the first stages of some strange design that, while by her hand, held no meaning to her. The child looked once more to her mother. "But..." She hesitated. "But...we can't use magic yet." The dark child said. "We can't do anything with these feathers aside from decorate them, right?"

Off to one side, Marller, who'd been silently listening to the conversation with little of her own input, pulled back, examining her own feathers with a new perspective.

Hild nodded, and a mischievous smile brightened her features. "Ah, good girl. You catch on quick." She said in approval. "With a little honing, that mind could go a long way."

"But yes, you are indeed correct, child of mine. What good is a magic feather if the owner has no magic?" Hild inquired, violet eyes that shown with a wicked humor. "So what can one do then, but learn the magic with which the feather will be used in conjunction with?"

The grin on Hild's face grew into a toothy grin as she fell silent, allowing her words and the meaning behind them to fall in. One that only seemed to grow to a smile the Cheshire Cat himself would be proud of, had the two ever met, as realization dawned from within Urd's matching violet eyes. "Wait..." The bronze child said. "You don't mean...are we going to learn magic?"

"Well you certainly aren't going to learn how to cook-at least, not from me anytime soon. Why else do you think none of us have eaten anything yet?"

Yet Hild's words went unheard as Urd leaped from the chair she sat at, rushing to Marller's side and grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "Marller, we're going to learn how to use magic!" The platinum haired child crowed, infecting her blond friend with her enthusiasm and causing both children to scream in excitement.

The Daimakaicho let the action go unchallenged, instead snickering at the two children's antics and simply taking a moment to enjoy the moment. After all, if either girl was serious about learning to wield magic, they were in for a long and hard road, one that would require more then a little dedication.

"Thank you Mama!" Hild blinked as the small bundle of energy that was Urd collided into her, and maternal instinct found Hild wrapping her arms around the child in a protective embrace. "Just you wait!" Urd cried. "I'm gonna have magic just like yours!"

"Will you now?"

Yes...after seeing the damage Urd had wrought down upon the bicorn...after watching Urd be snatched away from her very home...after learning that Urd had affected not only Nidhogg, but Heaven's Yggdrasil as well...it was time to see just what kind of magic her daughter had inherited from her parents.

Amethyst eyes with a hidden agenda shifted its gaze to Marller, who bounced and twirled in the air like some strange hyped rabbit. And as for Marller...

Hild needed to see if her suspicions would be confirmed about the little girl.

Somewhere in a kitchen, a cauldron burped, signaling the completion of a meal.

Somewhere many miles into a deep forest, the demon that had been tending to it continued his run, paranoia of an invisible enemy at his heels as he sought escape.

And somewhere in a demon's den, the Daimakaicho began making plans for a future that would never come to bear fruit.

* * *

A/N: YES! Finally, I'm done with this chapter. And to all my readers out there, hear a girl out-I feel like I'm starting to loose my edge in my writing, and I need some honest-to-goodness critique on just how much my writing has deteriorated. It's driving me nuts, and kind of starting to scare me. A week off from reading the news and memorizing facts have helped me complete this chapter, but when I return to my actual duty of briefs rather then bay orderly this week, I think they're once again going to start to fade from existence.

Also, if I see another episode of Squidbillies, I swear to the Heaven's I'm going to go on a bloody squid-massacre.


	8. Hidden Weapons

Origins 8

The youth swallowed his nervousness as he approached the building, nestled deep within the more urban areas of Niflheim's city. Old and drab, it stood amongst it's peers, unremarkable in comparison to it's newer siblings built upon jagged and spiked foundations, screaming of pain to any one soul unfortunate enough to fall from the heavens or even come too close to walls aligned with needles. An inconspicuous building, he came to a halt outside doors of iron, a paranoia of enemies dwelling within shadows forcing him to search, search for anyone, anything, that might take too much notice in him.

Yet what few demons passed by the street paid the lad no attention, lest it be an attention brought upon by his suspicious actions, and even then, he remained unchallenged. _Just go._ A voice whispered in his mind, and with another nervous swallow, the dark haired young man-one not even out of his teens yet-entered the building.

It was cooler inside then it was outside, where the heat of Niflheim's summer could not reach the cool, smooth, polished stone within. The boy shoved his hands in his pockets, biting the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood, and feeling his face form up in a grimace of pain. _Come on Brother, you've done this over ten times now. Why are you always so nervous when coming here?_

The youth refused to respond to the voice, instead shrugging his shoulder's with a shake of his head.

His footfall was silent, muffled by the worn leather of aged boots, and he kept his head bowed, becoming unobservant and uninteresting to any and every demon he passed, not one creature looking his way. Down one hall, up a flight of stair, left, right, left, left, and he came to a halt in front of a lone door.

It looked to have not been used in ages-scratches from careless demons or perhaps petty vandalism by a younger group, where the thin coating of paint meant as a heat propellant had begun to fade and chip away, and underneath he could see the more natural color of blackwood.

For several second, the youth simply stared at the door, silently debating for the nth time that day the wisdom behind his actions. _Is it really worth it?_ He contemplated, dark brows furrowing together in irritation over his own indecisiveness.

"You know, I don't think it will do a trick for you no matter how long you stand there staring at the door, Hon." A voice rang out from behind him, and he turned with a start, coming to face the young owner.

He grinned in recognition, feeling some of his trepidation banish at the sight of such a familiar face. "Hello to you too, Mada." He said to the scowling woman, her hands planted on her hips before she moved to flick shocking red hair over one shoulder.

She looked a couple years older then the youth, a woman in her early twenties in comparison to his late teens, and with a roll of eyes a near matching shade of red, the young woman sighed. "Well, come on then, we're going to be late if we don't actually _go inside_."

Taking the hint, the lad's grin became embarrassed. "Ah...right, okay, sure." He stammered out, turning once more and moving to open the door, only to have it open on it's own before the teen had a chance to grab the handle.

Startled, he looked up from where green eyes had eyed the handle, looking up into a face that was a reflection of his own. "Well now, what's this?" Koka asked. "My dear twin brother, flirting out here in the halls with Lady Mada? To think I share my face with such a scoundrel!" He spread his arms wide in mock horror, and past him, Vikoka could see the other members of the group peering out from inside the room, their expressions ranging anywhere to curiosity to amusement to irritation.

Vikoka felt his ears grow hot with embarrassment, and with a scowl, he shoved past his twin. "You know as well as I do that I'm not that kind of guy!" He snapped, his temper getting the better of him as he fought to control the growing warmth in his cheeks.

"Oh is that so?" Mada demanded, storming her way into the room as Koka moved to one side, his arm sweeping out before him in a bow as the short tempered woman passed, before closing the door with a click behind him. "Does that mean I'm some how unattractive to you? Or are you just more interested in other guys?" She folded her arms across her chest, and Vikoka let out an aggregated groan, glaring daggers at his brother, who stood a short distance behind the older woman looking ready to burst with laughter.

"Ah come on Mada!" He pleaded. "You know what I mean! Don't let my dumber half get the better of you because of some stupid comment."

This time it was Koka's turn to scowl, and the youth marched past Mada to stand in front of his twin. "Wait, hold up, who's the dumber half here?" He demanded. "I'm not the one who-"

"That's enough out of all three of you."

As one the trio looked to the owner of the voice, meeting the hard gaze of the man behind their meeting. A sharp, chiseled face stared at the small group from a tall, muscular body. "I didn't call you all here so you could banter like children. Take your petty arguments elsewhere." Kali growled, turning away from his window to regard the group with a snarl. "We have other, more important manners to discuss at the moment."

A soft murmur arose from the surrounding group as he fell silent, and with a shared look, the trio moved to take their own places around the room, staying close to each other as they moved off to one side, giving their full attention to the demon that had summoned them.

They were a small group, those few that had appeared for the meeting. Ten, maybe fifteen people at the most, with ages ranging from anywhere as young as children in their late teens, such as Koka and Vikoka, to the older adults ranging in their late twenties to early thirties. For the past several years, they'd been meeting on a regular basis under the leadership of Kali, and for several years they'd been steadily growing in number, two twins becoming the newest additions, mentored under the fiery reign of a woman who knew little of what mercy was.

And now, for the first time in a month, Kali had summoned them all together, within a building as inconspicuous as it was old, for one important announcement.

"It's time."

* * *

The halls echoed with the sound of pounding feet as two pairs bounded through it's chambers. The high laughter of children bounded across the air, and the two voices they initially were multiplied into four, giving voice to the ghosts and phantoms dancing across flame-lit corridors. Elaborate murals and elegant displays adorned the surrounding walls, creating crevices to hide in and lifeless eyes that flickered with an unnatural light. Chandeliers and candelabrum hung above their heads, shimmering specks against a ceiling so high one had to crane their neck back to view the top.

And it was here, within the corridors of the castle Hild called her own, that Urd and Marller roamed, climbing upon once great Golems laid to rest and statues of monstrosities time had long since forgotten in the realms of man.

They chased each other, racing like cheetahs down the great halls, drawing near to each other only for one to dart away before the other could strike, gaining a distance for the other to follow, only to be tackled by her mock-opponent. They fought,mimicking vicious moves meant to kill men in the form of weak punches and kicks, bites and jabs. And now, with their newest lessons still fresh on their mind, the children weaved their magic upon each other, where weak flickers of red and violet surrounded each other and clashed, dissipating in the air, only to be withdrawn to their mistress's side at at second attempt.

Their actions were encouraged rather then scorned, deep within the halls as they were where nothing precious could truly be damaged. For with every jab, every race, every flicker of magic, the duo grew more disciplined, faster, stronger minutely, the demon-children learning from each other and their own mistakes, discovering their own abilities in a manner no classroom, no mentor could teach. Whereas their more divine cousins were discouraged from such actions that might cause undue harm to another of their age, Hild and her people seemed to embrace the concept of violence, encouraging fight after fight after fight, in the hopes that the younger generation might learn to protect itself in a world of cruelty and hostility.

The heavens never had to deal with ravenous bicorns or insane demons, after all.

A streak of violet lightning surged forth, and Marller yelped as it connected, darting away and down a corner, Urd close behind with a large smile on her face.

It had been several months since the Daimakaicho's declaration that the two children were to learn magic, and the girls had taken to it like bees to honey. Urd especially seemed to have a gift for the techniques, seeming to absorb all that was taught to her like a sponge, quickly mastering the few spells that the Goetia had taken the time to teach it's younger generation. The learning was slow however-for all Urd's skill with the spells, Marller seemed to be of a different breed, her mastery of even the simplest of spells taking a great deal longer then Urd, slowing the somewhat older child down to match her blonde friend's pace.

It frustrated the Daimakaicho's daughter to no end, the slow pace with which she was forced to learn along side Marller. And so, perhaps in vengeance, perhaps as a way to help Marller's mastery of magic, perhaps even a mix of the two, it quickly became habitual for Urd to practice the spells she had learned on Marller, forcing the red eyed girl to respond with a magic she'd not yet grown used to.

More often then not, it left both children on a wild chase throughout the corridors that acted as their overly large classroom, Marller running and weaving, ducking and dodging through the various spells Urd lashed out at her, sometimes with a scream of rage, others with a shout of command, and even an occasional bought of laughter to spice things up. It left one demon with nerves frayed beyond compare, and another the ability to relieve her own stress in a manner that would one day become a common practice for her.

"Urd, will you stop it?" Marller demanded, shouting back at the demon behind her, who's only response was a laugh as a whip of electricity flew towards the retreating figure in front of her. The child yelped as the magic stung her arm, and with a snarl she stopped and spun, her own magic manifesting itself in her right hand as she instead charged Urd.

Caught off guard by the sudden change of pace, Urd had little time to think of any sort of retaliation before Marller had collided into the silver haired girl, knocking the wind from her and forcing her to the ground, dazed from an attack that should have been completely magical in nature, yet had been more physical then anything else. The child blinked dazed violet eyes up to Marller, and those same orbs then narrowed in anger, clearing as her senses came back to her. "Marller!" She shouted. "You're cheating! You know you're only supposed to use magic against me in a magic fight! No punching!"

"But it was all magic!"

Indeed, there had been more then a few small, significant differences between both children's magic. For while Urd seemed to flourish in the aspect of fire and lightning in an area where elemental spells were the first to be mastered, Marller had shown only a small adept with a fire element, and even then, she seemed to prefer relying on her physical body rather then using it as a vassal for any sort of elemental magic.

Unlike Urd, who'd spent most her life within the walls of Hild's lair, surrounded by magical instruments and beings of all shapes and sizes and growing attuned to the many different attributes of such abilities, Marller had grown up in a more secluded area, where magic was more scare, more wild, then anything that might have been found within the city walls of Niflheim. It was one of the things that led to the blonde's slower development of magic in comparison to Urd's, yet also left her more reactive to foreign elements, creating an almost magical six sense within the child that left her running and successfully dodging Urd's spells.

However, Urd herself was nothing if not a quick learner, and it wasn't long before the Leader-to-be became just as adept at calling Marller's moves, predicting where and what the child was going to move and striking like a viper at a mouse.

It was a shame that when those fangs finally did bite the mouse, did the viper realize too late that it had in fact bitten a mongoose.

Urd glared up at her friend, her mouth curling upwards in a snarl. "You lie!" She shouted, rolling to her feet and lunging at Marller, where both children collided with one another before falling to the ground, one on top of the other as an event that started out magical in origin dwindled into little more then a fist fight.

Somehow, it ended with a silver-haired demon laying underneath her blonde counterpart, gnawing on one of Marller's legs while likewise, somehow Marller had managed to twist both of Urd's arm's to her back, twisting and turning the limbs into a jumbled, tangled knot. Looking about as painful as it no doubt actually was, Urd cursed, before bringing forth one of the more powerful spells in her inventory, one that she hadn't fully mastered with it's power, and with a cry, the corridor exploded.

As the smoke and rubble cleared and the dust began to settle, two crumpled forms laid sprawled on top of each other in a daze, coughing weakly as the remaining debris finally settled, and with a moan, Urd shoved her companion off her body, rolling away from Marller with a grunt.

"Well now, you've certainly gone and made a mess of things now, haven't you?" A voice rang out to meet the silver haired girl's ears, and with a grimace, Urd looked to it's source.

A large hole had been blown in one of the surrounding walls as a consequence to Urd's spell gone wild, and through it, three men stood. Goetia, their looks ranged from startled to angry to the owner of the voice, who wore an amused look of his own despite the weapon he, like his kin, had instinctively drawn the moment of the explosion. Now though, spying the source of the destruction, the three leopard brothers sheathed their weapons. Sitri, the one who'd spoken and oldest of the trio, carefully stepped over the crumbled foundations, a cloak of dark-gray feathers lightly grazing the rubble.

Trailing behind him, his two brothers followed, each adorned in a leopard's pelt similar to the one that adorned Sitri, though they be of different shades. Where as Sitri, a handsome man who'd quickly grown within the ranks of Slayers, wore a pelt dark enough to have been mistaken for a black panther rather then any sort of leopard, both the siblings wore a lighter pelt.

Flauros, the middle sibling, was a large tank of a man who, unlike his two brothers' swords of choice, was adorned with a pair of iron knuckles, their ends tipped in three long spikes the length of Urd's hand. He towered over his siblings as he followed Sitri out of the hole, and his pelt had a unique red hue to it, one caused, as rumor had it, from the blood of his fallen opponents, the liquid dying the pelt a permanent shade of destruction. Eyes like burning embers stared down at the children, and as Urd's eyes met his, Flauros's lips peeled back in a grin, revealing jaws that seemed more at home within a feline rather then a man.

Wearing a lighter coat that more resembled their Earth-bound kin, Ose was the last to exit through the hole. Thin and lithe, he peered at the world through eyes of gold, holding a particular gate to his walk that seemed to speak more of a scholar rather then a fierce Goetia he'd earned the reputation of having.

The trio approached the two children, and before Urd or even Marller, for that matter, could act, the duo found themselves whisked off their feet. Twin screams resonated with the harsh sound of deep laughter, and Urd found herself thrown into the air, only to land safely within the arms of Sitri once more. "Ah, what a grand thing it is, to be so young and free from the responsibility of one's own action." He cooed merrily, looking back to his younger siblings and spying a wild-eyed Marller resting atop the large Flauros's shoulders.

Ose approached from one side, and a large feline eye moved to observe the Daimakaicho-to-be. "It seems you've been practicing those spells Paimon and Naberius have been teaching you." He stated, a small smile twitching at the corner of his mouth at Urd's enthusiastic nod. "I'm hoping you aren't simply using those spells for demolition practices though."

The bronze child pouted, trusting Sitri not to drop her as she crossed her arms over her chest. "No, that's not it, Ose." She said. "I was trying to help Marller with her fire magic, only she _cheated-_"

"I did not!"

"-And I ended up blowing a hole in the wall."

Ose raised a thin golden eyebrow. "Is that a fact now?" He asked, the youngest of the trio's gaze moving to meet the oldest and sharing a look. He returned his gaze to Urd. "Little One, has it ever occurred to you that perhaps the Little Red-eyes has a different way of manifesting her magic from you?"

A blank stare was all he received from Urd, and the man snorted in amusement. "Not all demons have a magical strength within the elements, Little One." He said, bringing a hand up in front of Urd's face. "Flauros, for all his element of fire, still relies more upon his magic to give him a physical advantage over his opponent's rather then a magical one." The hand clenched, and claws erupted from his knuckles, golden with the color of his magic and glowing with power. "For all my limited ability with the wind, I'd much prefer to use my magic as the piercing needles you see now against my opponent, where I might direct my magic to areas of weakness within a Valkyrie's armor."

The youth wheeled to Flauros, directing his hand to his older brother. The claws flew from their position within his hand with a shout of command, and both children let out simultaneous shouts of fear and warning as they sailed towards the red-haired man. Yet the demon in question refused to move, simply bringing an arm bathed in red up to his torso, where the darts of magic buried themselves before dissipating into nothingness once more.

It was Sitri who spoke next, looking down to the child cradled within his arms with eyes a shade so light he looked to be blind upon a first glance. "Elemental magic isn't everything." He said. "For all it is some of the strongest magic we as demons can claim to use, it can also be considered one of our weakest, for unlike many other kinds, where there is one element present, there is another of an equal power that can defeat it." The trio elder shifted his grip on Urd, before gently setting the violet eyed child on the ground. "It is oftentimes more advantageous to use your abilities in another method, rather then something so predictable and easily defeated as elemental."

Urd tilted her head off to one side in curiosity, looking up to the white haired man with a small, contemplative frown on her face. "You mean...like how you charmed that fighting unit of Valkyries that one time and they actually followed you back to your base? Only to awaken from the spell you cast on them and have them all go crazy?"

The man blinked in surprise, startled at the revelation of one of the lesser appreciated antics from his younger days. "What? Where did you-"

Another voice, one of an equal youth to the child at his feet, spoke up. "Or that one time you were casting a spell, only to have it interrupted half-way through, and the Valkyrie's you intended to charm all started thinking you were their fiancé and started chasing you and slaughtering each other?" Marller chirped, Flauros, a soft frown on his face, moving to deposit the child on the floor as well.

A soft, nervous chuckle escaped Sitri's throat, and he rubbed the back of his head self-consciously, something that might have been a blush lightening his tan cheeks. "Heh...I-I'd forgotten about that..."

"Or how about that time you pulled a prank on the Daimakaicho and she ended up running through Niflheim's castle with only a belt around her waist?"

The demon's head jerked to Urd, his eyes large and held with a frightening amount of alarm. "Who told you that?" He demanded, the cloaked man's voice barely above a whisper, as though frightened of gaining some sort of unwanted attention.

Urd returned his gaze, eyes more curious then frightened at a face that had been known to drive men insane with it's beauty, before looking over to Marller. Marller looked back, before turning her gaze to Sitri, and then back to Urd. The two children seemed to share some sort of hidden message, and Sitri, wearing a grimace that could almost have been mistaken for fear on his face, divided his gaze form one girl to the next. A shrug from Urd. A nod from Marller. And then as one, the children pointed to Ose and Flauros who, taken aback at the sudden betrayal, slowly began stepping away from their oldest kin in either direction of the corridor, twin looks of worry displayed upon either brother's faces.

By now, Sitri's eyes were almost bulging from their sockets, and an enraged snarl moved to adorn his face. "_Flauros. Ose."_ The names came out in a near incomprehensible growl, and the two younger brothers bolted, retreating onto all fours as fear and instinct took hold, releasing the two avatars that dwelled within each sibling in the form of leapords, one as golden as the sun, the other as red as a living fire.

"_I'm going to END you!" _This time the words came out in a roar, and Sitri too allowed himself to be overtaken by the monstrous figure that dwelled within, the cloak of feathers resting upon his shoulders surging forth, transforming into actual _wings_, while his face elongated, fur bristling across his body as fangs lengthened, and where once a man stood, now a dark-furred, winged leopard had taken his place, an angry snarl on his face as he roared, before bounding off into the hole Urd had accidentally made, disappearing from sight in much the same manner as his younger siblings prior, and leaving nothing but two surprised, confused children in his wake.

Left again with nothing but each other for company, the girl's looked at each other. "Do you think we should have told him that Hild told us those stories, not his brothers?" Marller asked. "Sitri looked pretty mad back there-and I can't remember the last time I saw any Slayer change in to his avatar like that."

Urd shrugged, moving to peer into the hole she'd created in curiosity. "Nah. Mama said to go ahead and say it if we ever found the chance, just to 'see what happens'." She said, looking back to Marller with a wicked grin. "Especially that last part-Mama said Sitri had no idea she knew who was behind that trick."

Marller looked to her in surprise. "Really?" She asked, following Urd inside the hole and into the room that had, ten minutes prior, held the three leopard brothers of the Goetia. "Wait-does that mean the spell he used on her didn't work?"

ahead of her, a small silver head bobbed up and down in confirmation. "Yep." She said. "But Mama said she played along with it, just to get a rise out of her men. Something about bloody noses or heads exploding or some strange thing like that."

This time Marller came to a halt, and she stared at Urd blankly. "What do bloody noses and head explosions have to do with the Daimakaicho running around all nakey and stuff?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

The room the children found themselves within was in fact, a small armory nestled within the vastness of the castle, hidden by a spell that disguised a door as part of a wall in an adjoining corridor. Filled more with weapons that had come to be considered out-of-date, bulk-items, or in need of repair, the room had been hidden by Hild for the express purpose of a potential takeover by Heaven's elite-a place Slayers might find close if ever an attack should happen that might catch Slayers and Goetia alike off-guard, where they might run to and procure at least some sort of weapon with which to defend themselves with.

True, the possibility was a slim one, if nothing else, but the room was old, it's weapons older still, created in a time of uncertainty where there was no guarantee of a sure of final victory within the realms of Niflheim. In such times, paranoia made the difference between life and death, as Hild had discovered in her youth, and so she'd acted on it, creating a small refuge within a large refuge in preparation for an event that might never happen.

However, as time moved forward and relations changed, it, like many other things within Hild's domain, was discarded after centuries of no use, until it became little more then a storage closet for the one or two Slayer demons who happened to stumble upon it in recollection, storing their older weapons that had long since grown irrelevant within it's walls.

Only to be rediscovered by the next generation, stumbled upon by chance and now filling two children with wonder.

The room was fairly small, it's walls lined with shelves of all shapes and sizes, many of which held some pike, some sword or some ax or dagger, that had, once upon a time, stolen the life of a divine being. Now the weapons lay dormant, resting in the dust of time and age for a war they would never again be used for as the magic that had once fed them so heartily faded from existence. Yet still, they filled the girls with awe, and carefully the duo spread out to explore, examining every nook and cranny they came across, blowing away dust and lifting crates as they scavenged through the once great remains of a war long past.

"Hey Urd, check this out!" Marller shouted from one corner of the room, and carefully, Urd trotted off towards her friend, carefully avoiding the small lone table in the center of the room piled high with crates and containers and vials of various origins, careful still not to trip over any one of the various crates scattered randomly upon the floor surrounding it. The tan girl approached her friend, and Marller stepped back, allowing Urd to see the cause behind her summons.

"What is that thing?"

"I don't know."

the object was elaborative, filled with curves and twirls and ending with sharp points. It looked too bulky, they item in question, to have been any sort of weapon, yet as Urd looked at if from where it rested in the wall, the child considered it highly unlikely it was a shield either-for all it's fairly flat surface, the object had too many holes and openings to be of any sort of defense for any demon using it to guard his body. "Weird...it kind of reminds me of one of those big, pretty gates outside in the courtyard..."

Marller peered over at her with a raised eyebrow. "You mean like the gates used to keep the bicorn in their territory?" She asked, tilting her head to one side in the thoughts that perhaps it was tilted on an edge, and that they might not be looking at it properly. "But then, why would an old gate be in an overgrown broom closet?" She asked. "Why not melt it down to metal and re-create it as something else?"

Urd shook her head, a small frown aligning her face as her own thoughts ricocheted through her mind. "I don't know..." She murmured, reaching a hand out to rub the metal. It was smooth and cool to her touch, and she bit her lower lip in thought. "But it has to be some sort of weapon." She said after a moment's silence. "Even if these things aren't used anymore, Mom is really strict about what all can be stored in these things. I don't think anyone under her would try to store anything that isn't a weapon in one of these rooms, especially when she's an 'equal opportunity sadist', I think Murmur put it one time."

blonde eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "What's a 'sadist' Urd?"

A shrug of shoulders. "I don't know." She said, moving to grasp the strange iron with two hands and yanking it, curious to see how heavy it was. The iron refused to move under her tug, and the child's frown deepened. "What are you?" She demanded, a small hint of frustration within her voice as she struggled to discover just what it was.

Yet the gate refused to respond to her demands, and so the child chose to glare at it with all the intensity of a small Daimakaicho.

No response.

Marller looked in between Urd and the odd metal, one eyebrow raised in question. "Urd what are you trying to do?" She asked, failing to reason out just why it was Urd was staring so hard at a decorative piece of metal.

"I'm trying to get it to tell me what it is."

Another moment of silence as Marller continued to stare between Urd and her new opponent. "Urd...I hate to say it, but I don't think it's working."

The silver-haired girl scowled, directing a glare to her blonde friend. "Then you try it!" She snapped, startling Marller with the hostility behind the words.

The red-eyed child drew back in surprise, blinking at the short-haired. "But Urd...I don't know how to do that. I can't speak to the spirits attached to magical objects."

The bronze child released a long sigh of frustration at her comrade, shaking her head in irritation. "Marller, it's fine. I'll teach you." She said, looking to her friend with a glare that seemed to _dare_ Marller to go against her wishes.

Marller didn't take the dare.

"Ah...okay then...what should I do?" She asked, moving next to her friend and tentatively resting a hand on the metal, mimicking the position Urd had taken with the gate.

Urd huffed, still aggravated at the gate's refusal to listen to her, before continuing. "It's easy-simply state who and what you are, and order it to tell you what it is." She said, re-placing her hand on the gate-like object. "Just follow my lead."

"I, Urd, Child of the Daimakaicho and Daughter of the Goetia..."

"I, Marller, Third-Generation Slayer Candidate and Child Under the Goetia..."

"...demand as a power above you..."

"...demand as a power above you..."

"...that you tell me what you are..."

"...that you tell me what you are..."

The two children fell silent with Marller's finishing words, and the duo stared at the gate, silently willing it to respond to their commands.

_Level two seal recognizing Category Two and Category Three. Initializing. Would you like to Unlock?_

The duo yelped as the voice echoed within the small room, the traditional young and feminine voice of a seal that had been put into place by a higher power. Urd looked to Marller, finding her own questioning gaze reflected within pools of red before returning to the odd gate. "...Uh..." Again she looked to Marller for help, but the girl proved to be of little help, simply shrugging her shoulders. Urd scowled at the blonde, before redirecting her focus to the gate. "Yes!" She shouted.

_Unlock confirmed. Initializing...Complete._

A high keen pierced the air as the seal's voice faded, and from the center of the contraption, where the iron had swirled into spiral, a light began to appear. Urd and Marller stared at it, before Marller shifted her gaze to her friend. "You just _had _to say 'yes', didn't you?" She demanded.

The light began to grow, and Urd scowled, looking back to her friend. "You know what? Bite me, Marller." And with that, the bronze child grabbed her lighter friend by the wrist, before turning and making a mad dash away from the object, half-leading, half-dragging Marller behind her as she sought some sort of shelter from what was about to happen.

Yet it came too late, as the light within the center of the gate exploded, filling the room with a glaring flash that left both children blind to their surroundings, and Urd screamed as she felt something pierce her body. She heard a similar scream from Marller, and then a fearful feeling of weightlessness as an invisible force lifted Urd from her feet and propelled her forward. The child's body impacted against something solid, and then Urd knew no more.

Her body aching was the first thing she was aware of as Urd slowly regained her consciousness. Everything seemed to ache like one big bruise, and the child whimpered as she slowly opened her eyes. The surroundings were unfamiliar to her, and for several minutes the girl stared at the room she was in before her last thoughts returned to her. She was still in the same room, however, she'd been thrown against something hard, and the force that had knocked her into the wall had been strong enough to tilt the table that had been in the center of the room on it's side, scattering the smaller containers piled on top everywhere.

It was the table on it's side that had caused her so much confusion upon awakening.

"What...happened?"

Nothing responded to her question, and so with a moan, the child moved to her hands and feet. The ache flared in intensity, and Urd let out a cry of pain before stubbornly gritting her feet, refusing to let herself be beaten by her new condition.

"M-Marller?" She called, lifting herself just high enough to peer over the fallen table and into the rest of the room, bathed in a soft and gentle light from the hole Urd had blown in the wall earlier.

The light was artificial, making it impossible to tell just how much time had passed since she'd been knocked cold, and Urd watched in silent contemplation as particles of dust danced in the air, disturbed no doubt from the various explosions within the small room. "Marller!" Again Urd called out, searching for the bright blonde hair that belonged to her friend, hoping it might indicate where the girl's position was.

A noise off somewhere to her left, closer to where the hole was caught her attention, and violet eyes strayed to the area, where a shelf had fallen over at an odd angle, the weapons, armors, and crates that had been piled within it's shelves falling forward in a pile on the floor. Only the pile Urd was staring at was moving.

The silver-haired child cursed as realization struck her, and again Urd shouted her companion's name, watching as the heap twitched once more in response to her cries. Carefully, her body reminding the demon-child of her own pains, Urd made her way over to the pile, carefully sliding underneath the fallen shelf and grateful it had landed at a slant on top of crate-had there been nothing to elevate it, Urd doubted she'd have been able to find the red-eyed girl that was her friend.

With a grunt of effort, Urd began pulling the larger, heavier pieces and equipment away from Marller, starting at the top and slowly, painstakingly, making her way to the bottom. The child was in the process of moving one particularly large crate away from the middle of the mound when she caught sight of a red glow alighting from within the heap of junk, and Urd screamed as another, smaller explosion detonated, this time in the form of Marller's magic. Another scream joined her own, and the remaining materials surged away from Marller's body, Urd ducking behind one of the larger crates she'd somehow managed to pull away from the equipment to protect her already beaten body.

As the red magic died away, Urd peaked her head up from the crate, and the child didn't bother suppressing the smile of relief that aligned her face at the sight of her friend. "Maller!" She cried out in relief, looking at the mussed blonde hair that belonged to her friend and an outfit that had gained several new holes in it. "You look like crap!"

The red-eyed girl glared at her friend, scowled as she sat within the crater she'd made. "As if you're one to talk." She growled. "What the hell did you do to your shirt?" Marller pointed to Urd's chest, and the bronze girl brought a hand to it, looking down at the large hole in the center of her outfit. She blinked, staring at it in confusion and touching the exposed skin underneath. Nothing but the soft feeling of soft, cool flesh met her touch.

The youth frowned, brows furrowing together in confusion as she looked back to Marller. Violet eyes widened. "You have it too!" She shouted, recognizing a similar sized hole that adorned the front of Marller's uniform, exposing unmarred skin in much the same manner as Urd.

The child yelped at the revelation and quickly wrapped her arms around her chest, an expression that did little to ease Urd's mind appearing on her face. "Urd..." She said, the word hinged with a frame of wary emotion. "What did we do? What did that..._gate_ do to us?" Her eyes moved to drift to the object in question, still laying against the wall the duo had found it, with nothing to show it had ever been activated.

"I...I don't know..." Urd's voice was soft with trepidation as she followed her friends gaze, only to swerve her head back to Marller. "Do you feel any different?

Her companion shook her head. "Not unless really achy from a crazy explosion counts." She stated, returning her gaze to Urd. "Why?" She asked. "Should I?"

Urd shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." She responded. "I thought maybe since something went through us it might have done something to us. But I don't feel any different either." The child rubbed her chin in thought, trying to puzzle out the mysteries over what exactly had happened. "Maybe we're both just to sore to feel any sort of change..."

Across from her, Marller tilted her head to one side. "Maybe the Daimakaicho would know what happened?" She suggested, only to flinch under the look Urd directed towards her.

"No. Bad idea. _Bad _idea." Urd said with a shake of her head. "She'd tan my hide if she knew we were messing around in one of the old armories. These places are supposed to be dangerous because of the variety of weapons within them."

A small ring of silence deafened the room as Marller stared at her friend, and then red eyes narrowed. "You mean to tell me you _knew _about these places?" She demanded, lips peeling back in an angry snarl as Urd nodded her head. "And you knew how _dangerous _these places were?" Again, another nod of a silver head, this time slower, a small frown beginning to align the Daimakaicho's heir's face at the hostility behind the words.

Another moment of silence.

And then Marller tackled her comrade, fangs bared in anger. "Then why the hell did you decide it would be a good idea to go in here?" She roared, any sort of aches and pains forgotten in a rage fueled by adrenaline. "Urd, we could have been hurt! We could have been _killed_!"

The duo rolled out from the fallen debris that surrounded them, and Urd felt her own lips peel back in a snarl just as cruel as Marller's. "Oi' get off!" She yelled, a foot moving to tuck itself in between her body and Marller's, kicking into the blonde girl's stomach and causing the demon to gasp.

Her grip loosened, Urd rolled the two of them onto Marller's back rather then her own, pinning the red-eyed child underneath her. As Marller struggled to free herself from underneath Urd, the bronze child growled. "Listen up!" She snapped, angry violet meeting raging red. "We aren't hurt and we aren't dead, even with that weird explosion from that gate thing. Nothing bad happened, so no harm, no foul, right?" Underneath her, Marller had halted her struggles, and now she laid silent, seething as she sent a whithering glare to Urd.

Urd scowled. "We aren't going to tell anyone about this, okay?" She said, unflinching violet holding the raging fire that was Marller's gaze. "_Okay?_"

"Urd...get...off...me."

"Not until you promise not to tell anyone about this."

"I said...get..the hell...off...of me."

"And I said not until you promise me."

Red eyes narrowed into slits at Urd's stubbornness, and the demon on top of her sent her a gaze as equally powerful, the violet eyes that were so familiar and unique to the Daimakaicho's line holding Marller's gaze with some great and terrible subtle power, those same eyes reflected within the Daimakaicho herself, holding order within the demons of her court and bringing nothing but fear to any who would deny her wishes.

Urd was not the Daimakaicho though.

"Get..._off!_" With a roar, Marller shouted the words forth once more, and this time, a burning fire accompanied it, spewing forth from the child's throat and forcing Urd to draw back, lest she be scalded by the flames of her friend's magic.

Urd yelped at the sudden attack, backing off her friend and staring at the firebreather in shock as the sickening smell of burning hair filled the room from where several strands of Urd's hair had not been fortunate enough to escape the small torching. The child stared in shock at the fire, falling onto her rump with her mouth parted in awe, even as the magic dissipated within the air.

The small inferno gone, Marller slowly sat up, her own expression one of shock and confusion as the odd and unexpected display of power. She looked to Urd once more, blinking startled eyes that caught small wisps of smoke dancing from the tips of Urd's hair.

For several seconds, nothing but a stunned silence overtook the duo.

And then Marller laughed, unable to contain herself with that adorned Urd's face. The child in question, unsure as to the reason behind her companion's sudden fit of laughter, felt her own giggles join Marller's, until Urd too, began to laugh heartily.

As their laughter began to die down to giggles, Urd looked to her friend, a large, mischievous grin on her face. "Hey Marller, do you think this is what Ose meant by displaying you're magic differently?" She asked, snickering lightly at the face Marller made in response to her question.

"I sure hope not." The blonde responded. "That was _too_ freaky, even for me." With a grunt, the girl pushed herself to her feet, stretching her arms above her head and doing her best to ignore the aches and pains that accompanied her movements. "So if we're not going to tell the Daimakaicho what happened, how are we going to explain the big holes in our clothes?" The girl-child asked, hands dropping to her side once more as she looked to Urd.

Urd followed her, rising to her feet as well and running a hand through short locks of silver, scowling slightly at the dark smudges of charred hair that marred her fingers as the girl brought her hands away. "So then does that mean you aren't going to say anything then?" She asked, looking at Marller from the corner of one eye.

At the child's nod, Urd grinned. "Alright then. I've already got a plan for us then. We'll just sneak back to one of our rooms and change before anyone notices us. If anyone asks, we got too crazy with our magic. Easy, right?"

"Ah...if you say so..." Marller responded, following behind as Urd moved to exit the hole they entered from, the light of the hallway a stark contrast to the darkness of the room they'd been in a moment prior.

The duo winced at the contrasting light, blinking as they waited for their eyes to adjust before looking to one another. "Come on, follow me." Urd said, moving off down the corridor and placing her back to Marller. "I know a shortcut."

With that, she bolted down the hall. And as she did, Marller found herself hesitate before chasing after her. _There's a hole in the back of her shirt too..._

A shiver went up her spine, and tentatively, Marller reached a hand behind her to feel her back. The charred feeling of burnt cloth, and then the feeling of warm flesh met her fingers. What had really happened to them? What had pierced them, yet left no damage to their bodies?

With a shake of the head, the child banished the thoughts, finding them too disconcerting to think about and wanting nothing more then to forget the incident ever happened.

She chased after Urd.

And turned a corner just in time to see Urd come to a sliding halt in front of a foreign demon.

* * *

_Comments of a Mad Woman_: Throughout the entire conversation between Sitri and Urd, I just couldn't get rid of the image of everyone within Niflheim getting a nose bleed because they saw what looked like a crazy Hild, waving her hands in the air like a loon, running through the place she called home with not a scrap of clothes on.

I laughed my arse off.

Times like these, my thoughts really do start to scare me.

On another note, I just finished reading Angel Sanctuary, and now have other very disturbing and deranged images running through my head thanks to the plotline of the series. A very good series for anyone with an open mind. Kaori Yuki has an imagination as intense as her art style is beautiful, and thanks to her, I now have plot bunnies that have multiplied in an absurd amount, and seem to be mixing with various 'Armageddon' plotlines found so often in the Megaten series. I might start doing one or two more one-shots like Martyr just to get them out of my brain and away from the _Goetia_ plotline.

Nightshifts suck. I ended up drawing a penguin at my superior's request, and tried hard to make it look cute, yet some how managed to make it look evil. At the request of the poor lone guard lucky enough to get stuck with nothing but ID checks, I decided to add a stick of dynamite to it, with the words _I'll get you Batman!_ Underneath. I find it sad that even when I try, I can't seem to make cute and adorable pictures. Most all my drawings seem to end up looking evil or angry for some weird reason. It was also more then a little eerie recognizing a superior from when I was in Tech School, him recognizing my long name, and then staring at me with a large shit-eaters grin throughout the entire brief, including the section I actually had to give to him.

It was weird having a bunch of SF's applaud me when I finished my brief portion without any slides for reference. Even creepier the amount of attention half the audience (those not falling asleep) were giving me.

Oh well. At least I was able to pick up _Kazuma Kaneko Vol 1 Illustrations_ for my efforts last night. Yay demon artist!

Shutting up now.

"_Take care not to let any demons possess your body while you sleep..."_

-SMTII


	9. Infiltration

Origins 9

His mouth was dry as the castle came into view. Tall and dark and foreboding against a sky of blood, the youth swallowed in the hope that some of his trepidation might vanish.

It didn't.

If anything, his nervousness only increased, and hoping to distract himself, he glance to his left and to his right, wondering if it was only him that felt such a nervousness at the mission they were on. Mada stood off to his right, the woman's face grim and stony and handsome, dressed as she was in the stolen Slayer uniform Preta had taken after sneaking into the very castle they now approached. Sensing his gaze, the woman turned her sharp eyes his way, and the lad quickly bowed his head, unable to meet her stare. A snort from the fire-haired woman, and he felt her gaze leave him, allowing the youth to breath easily once more.

For several minutes he stared at his boots, marching over a trail of brimstone and obsidian, little more then dark shadows against the pavement that shone in the light of Niflheim's great fires. He examined the boots with perhaps more interest then necessary, admiring the died black leather of some unknown beast and the sharp, protruding metal studs that covered the toes of the boots, creating the illusion of iron claws that threatened pain to anyone he chose to lash out at. They were heavy, true-he'd almost fallen over when he'd first put them on that first time, feeling like he'd been adorned in cement-block shoes and doubting he'd ever grow used to their weight fast enough to pass for a Slayer without suspicion.

Yet here he was, five days later, dressed sharply in a demon's Slayer uniform, cheap imitation feathers sold at a local thrift shop adorning his sleeves and proclaiming him amongst the lowest ranking. Mada was on his right, her outfit near-identical save for the feathers, which Enki had dipped a portion of in the special black paint Preta had obtained and creating a demon that outranked himself. To his left his twin marched, and as he slid his gaze to his twin, he saw his own fear reflected back to him.

It was a gamble, the mission they were on-one that would either earn them fame and admiration and respect amongst their colleagues, or spell out a fate worse then death and a destruction of the group Kali had raised so carefully with his own hands.

A volunteer mission, Kali had warned of the risk that was going to be taken, and at that time, a time that now felt like a century ago, Koka and himself had all but jumped at the opportunity, the idea of sneaking into the Daimakaicho's castles disguised as the very demons who worked so closely with her singing a siren's song of danger and adventure, one that wrapped around the hearts and minds of two twins who shared a soul and _squeezed_.

And Kali had been so proud of them too! He'd praised them, standing them up before the rest of their comrades and telling them all what brave warriors they were, what heroes they were! Yet while everyone cheered for them, it was only one person who frowned, crossing her arms over her chest in disapproval.

He didn't understand why it was Mada's disapproval of their decision made him so uncomfortable, like he'd done something wrong even by demon standards and was looking to grovel in front of the one he'd wronged, looking for forgiveness.

But then lo and behold! Mada announced that she would go with them! As a senior member to direct their action, she'd claimed, marching to the three of them-Kali, Koka, and Vikoka, and wrapping her arms around the shoulders of two twins, a smile that he, Vikoka, thought was false, yet only grew larger as the cheers of their comrades, their brothers-in-arms, grew louder.

Vikoka had not seen Mada smile since.

Ahead of them, the great castle loomed ever greater, and as Vikoka allowed his gaze to drift, so too did signs of life appear from where once there was none. Off in a field, the dark silhouettes of bicorns dwelled, the very herd rumored to have made a deal with the Daimakaicho herself in exchange for becoming the steeds of the Angel Slayers. Off near a forest's line, creatures and monstrosities of all shapes and sizes wandered to and fro-Slayers in the form of their avatars,off for a hunt or perhaps some training session, their snaps and growls audible even to Vikoka and sending a shiver down his spine and a hiss in his mind.

Their devils had been another cause for concern. Kali had enthralled both he and his brother with tale after tale of the cruel acts Slayers acted out on their Devil-kin. And yet again they, the trio, had one little scrap of a demon to thank for the necklaces stolen for them. Preta had shown time and time again an invaluable thief, yet even Kali had to give the tiny demon credit for pulling off what many others had tried unsuccessfully before.

After all, there were only so many of the necklaces that sealed an Other-Souled being from the very creatures that took so much pleasure destroying them.

Yet even now, the feel of warm stone against his chest, elongated into a lengthy necklace from the tight choker it had once been, was a constant presence against his body from where it lay hidden beneath his shirt. It was a small bit of comfort, the necklace-one which he clung to with desperation, the warmth a reminder and a shield against the very beings the trio passed, sheep disguised as wolves and moving deeper into the wolf den, passing through large gates of elaborate black metal and into the courtyard, where Mada lead them to the gates that would allow them access to the inners of the castle itself.

Two guards stood outside the twin doors, eying the three of them as they approached, looking tall and intimidating in armor adorned with no small amount of spikes and spines, their faces masked from view behind snarling masks of iron. Only their eyes remained visible, those very eyes that now watched Vikoka, Mada, and Koka approach.

"Name?" A voice growled out from underneath one mask, muffled and hollow and sounding all the more intimidating because of it.

Mada took a step forward, placing herself in front of the two twins at her back and meeting the impassive eyes of the one who addressed her. "Slayer fourth-class, Femme Taraka." She stated, the words clipped and concise. "Behind me are Slayers fifth-class Foul Gaki and Foul Enku." She pointed to Vikoka and Koka respectively, and earned a grunt from the man who'd addressed her.

"Twins?"

A sharp nod from Mada. "Yes. They just finished their training up in Jotunheim. I was instructed to bring them here for continued advanced training."

There was a snort from the other guard, and from the slits in his mask, condensation, even in the heat of Niflheim's summer, rose and dissipated from the air. "Can't remember the last time I saw a pair of twins." He rumbled, eyes an ominous shade of red slowly drifting from one twin the the next before shifting back to Mada once more. "Why didn't we receive notice of your arrival? I'm sure no one would have forgotten the arrival of a couple of twins, especially with how rare a branch they are now-a-days."

Warning bells shot off like sirens in Vikoka's mind, and nervously he glanced to Koka, who looked back with a near-mirror expression. Together, their heads whipped to look at the back of Mada's and the two guards in front of them. Yet if Mada felt any of her own nerves, the woman hid it well, and though her expression remained hidden to the duo at her back, the fire-haired woman scowled at the guardsmen. "You mean to tell me my messenger failed _again_?" She cried with a huff. "That son of a _bitch! _That's the third time this month!" The demon growled out, a hand moving to rub her forehead as though it pained her. "I swear, it's so hard to find good help these days. That bastard told me straight to my face he'd delivered the message and you all knew we were on our way. I'm going to tan his hide when I get back to base." Mada ranted, before finally sighing in exasperation and looking back to the two guards before her. "I'm sorry about all this." She apologized. "I have our papers on me, just hang on a second..."

The woman made a show of digging around in the multitude of pockets that adorned her uniform, until finally one of the guards held up a hand, signaling Mada to stop. "Forget it." He growled. "If what you say is true, then you can explain yourself to the Daimakaicho. Let _her_ find a punishment suitable for you and your messenger."

His companion nudged him with a grunt. "Hey now, lighten up. They're new. No need the scare 'em out of their skin when they just arrived like that." He said, turning his gaze back to the trio. "Don't listen to him, he just wants to scare you. Go inside and get yourselves situated." The demon sent a glare to his comrade, who rolled his eyes at the other's actions but none the less nodded his head.

"Thanks." Mada said, bowing her head in gratitude before sending a glare back to the twins behind her. "Well, come on then, let's go. We've already caused enough trouble for these people." That said she turned her head back to the front, and with a final nod of parting, moved to enter the castle, Vikoka and Koka following several steps behind, seeming to shy away from the gaze of the two masked guards who watched them pass, amused expressions crinkling their eyes in a mute laughter.

The doors shutting with a loud and audible groan, the two guards remained where they stood, watching the trio disappear into the castle before looking to each other once more. Gone were the expressions of amusement, and in their place, to calculating and inquisitive demons stood.

"So those were the ones, eh?" One of them wondered aloud, his words more a statement then a question even as his comrade nodded his head in confirmation. "Gotta give 'em credit-it takes a lot to come straight to our gates and simply asking to be let through like that. Those two twins looked like they were about to piss themselves they were so scared."

The other snorted in laughter. "Got that right. It's almost a shame those rebels really aren't Slayers-with courage like that, you could find yourself up against a whole platoon of Valkyries and not even flinch." He sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Ah well, such is life, as they say. Guess it's time to tell the Daimakaicho they've arrived, right?"

His companion nodded, and the demon put a finger to his ear, brushing the feather that dangled like some strange earring. "Sir? Yes, it's Brute Kinki. Yessir, they've arrived. Yes, we let them in...yessir...as you wish." He looked back to his fellow guard.

"And now we wait."

"For the fox hunt to begin?"

"For the fox hunt to begin."

* * *

As the doors shut behind him once more, Vikoka found he could breath easy once again, and the youth sighed, releasing the breath he'd been holding as they'd passed to two guardsmen. At his side, Koka gave a nervous laugh. "You know, that was easier then I'd thought it was going to be." He said, looking to his twin with a smile that seemed forced. "And for a second there, I thought for sure our cover was going to be blown. Mada, you're amazing, you know that?" He looked to the woman in question with a grin that wasn't as forced. "How could you be so calm in a situation like that?"

The woman looked over her shoulder at them both, her eyes a heated glare that Vikoka wanted very much to look away from. "We're not done yet." She said, her words short and heated with a temper she seemed desperate to control. "Until our mission is over, you should not forget your place, fifth-class." With words like acid, she turned away once more, continuing her march down the long and empty hallway they traversed, empty of any 'sides the trio of life.

Koka, looking as though he'd been slapped in his face, looked to his sibling. Vikoka looked back. "What's up with Mada?" He whispered. "She seems more...irritable then normal..."

Vikoka could only shrug in response. He'd been wondering _that_ since the moment the three of them had been tasked with the mission at hand.

The group of three continued their march, delving deeper into the castle as they took one corridor after the another, Vikoka quickly loosing what little sense of direction he had to the many twists and turns Mada led them down. "We need to find an empty room." She murmured, more to herself then her two companions. "One large enough to hold all our people...there must be one around here somewhere." The fire-haired woman looked over her shoulder to Koka. "You have the map right?" At the youth's nod she said, "Pull it out for me. See if there are any near-by rooms that might be empty at this time of day."

The trio came to a halt in the middle of the corridor, moving off to gather against a wall and trying to look as inconspicuous as a group of lesser-ranked Slayers could look against a wall. Surrounded by his colleagues, Koka withdrew the map from one of the large pockets of his pants, unfolding it and moving to hold it up against the wall.

Mada examined it carefully, resting a finger against the castle entrance and tracing the route the trio had traversed before coming to a halt in the middle on one corridor, what Vikoka could only assume was their current location. "Here we are..." The woman murmured, eyes sparkling as, with her other hand, she tapped on one adjoining room, then another and finally a third. "These all look to be large enough." She said. "They're supposed to be ceremony theaters-no one should be in there unless someone is getting a promotion some time soon."

"And if they are?" Vikoka asked.

The red-eyed woman shrugged. "Then we tell them the usual excuse-that we're a bunch a dumb first-term Slayers who got lost, apologize, and quietly make our exit. The same excuse we'll use for everyone else who bothers questioning us."

* * *

They were in luck. The first room they came to was void of any demons, the room cleared of any sort of tables and chairs that might have obstructed the spell they were to preform. A dancing room, great black chandeliers hung eloquently above the trio's heads, providing the sole source of light within the chamber that provided dancing shadows that traversed a decorated floor, creating a dark atmosphere filled with mystique.

As one, the trio went about slowly creating a circle with the ash they brought with them, slowly creating a pattern that worked it's way to the outside ring before the trio connected the many patterns, standing outside the summoning ring and pouring the remaining ash inside. That done, the group of three moved to form a triangle around it's perimeter, chanting the incantation that would allow Kali and the others access to the castle.

The circle began to glow where the ash didn't touch, growing brighter and brighter to the point where it became blinding to look at, and then came the sound of a sharp _crack_. The light began to fade, and with it so too did other shapes began to take form, shadowy silhouettes that only grew more distinguishable the more the light faded, until finally a group of ten stood before the trio, trapped withing the confines a summoning spell and Kali at it's front, arms crossed over his chest and his gaze meeting Mada's as the last remaining light dissipated.

As one, Mada, Vikoka, and Koka stepped away from the circle, allowing those within the chance to exit. Kali stepped over the ash at his feet, exiting the circle and allowing a large smile to grace his features. Silently, his gaze wandered around the room, meeting the eyes of the trio who'd created the circle before turning his gaze to the rest of his people. As the last demon exited the ring, the man allowed himself a small chuckle before looking to Mada once more, Vikoka and Koka retreating behind her back and creating the trio of false Slayers who'd allowed the rebels entrance to the castle.

"You three..." He murmured. "You three had done wonderful! You've succeeded where so many before have failed!" The demon praised, turning his back to them and looking back to the small group of demons behind them. "Everyone! Look at the ones before you!" He swept an arm back to the trio. "These three have accomplished a great feat this day. Remember this moment, for if not for Mada, Vikoka, and Koka, none of this would be possible. Thanks to these demons, we can bring down the Daimakaicho and her blessed Slayers!"

Despite the gravity of the situation, deep within the bowls of the castle and surrounded by the very entities they so desperately wished to destroy, the group rose their fists in a roaring cheer, and the pride Vikoka had felt upon first volunteering for the assignment returned to him, the youth puffing his chest out in pride and feeling a large smile adorn his face. They had done good. They had accomplished the impossible, hell they were making _history _here.

Once the Daimakaicho was defeated and Kali was made the ruler of Niflheim, Mada and Koka and himself would become the creatures of legends, the ones who made the downfall and the great and terrible Daimakaicho possible and whose names would be whispered with awe and respect. Parents would tell their children of the great feat they had accomplished today, and their names would go down within history book so that other, future generations might know of their accomplishments.

And so he smiled, basking in the attention his comrades gave him, looking from one face to another and then to his sibling, who met his gaze with a smile of his own. He looked to Kali, who met his gaze with with a slight smirk, satisfaction wafting from him like a cat who'd gotten into a cage filled to the brim with canarys. His gaze drifted to Mada.

The woman was frowning.

But why? Had they not accomplished the hardest part of the mission? Sneaking into the lion's den itself? Should Mada not be pleased? What was wrong with her?

His smile dimmed somewhat at the frown she wore, and as her sharp red eyes met his, the smile vanished altogether.

Mada wasn't unhappy.

She was terrified.

For the many months he'd spent around her, Vikoka could never once recall a time when Mada was afraid. The woman could walk through the hurricane that was Kali's rage, great and fierce and the terror of their small group, and not even flinch, and she'd just shown her capability of outwitting a pair of Slayers. What in the flames of Niflheim could Mada be afraid of?

The youth didn't have the opportunity to ask, for it was at that moment that Kali spoke once more, his audience quieting with the raise of his hands and gathering close, eager to hear what it was their leader had to say.

"Now that we have infiltrated the castle, it is time to execute the second part of our plan. We shall divide into groups. Keep your weapons hidden and stay out of sight if at all possible. You know what it is we're searching for-the leverage we need to bring the Daimakaicho from her throne." He announced, eyes meeting each and every demon in the room. "Remember, these people we strike against are trained warriors, trained _killers. _Avoid combat with them unless absolutely necessary. For all we have weapons, for all we have magic, remember that to bring forth a devil means a fate worse then death. We can't afford to risk our other-halves here."

Nods and murmurs met his ears, and with a nod of his own Kali said, "Good. Then let us begin the second phase. Break into your assigned groups and depart."

The small group did as ordered, falling into small groups of twos and threes before cautiously shuffling out of the room, adorned in bulky clothes that hid the weapons they were to wield from view until none but Vikoka, Koka, Mada, and Kali remained.

"And I shall remain with the three of you." Kali announced, smiling at Mada, who's frown seemed only to grow deeper at the announcement. "You have already proven yourselves more then valuable in the infiltration of this great fortress. I expect nothing but continued success in my travels with you."

Startled, Vikoka looked from Kali to Mada in surprise. "Y-you are?" The youth stammered out, green eyes growing wider as Kali nodded in confirmation. "Then, ah...w-what are we supposed to be looking for?" He asked, having only been told a small portion of the task that was to make up the second phase, the details glazed over lest they should 'distract' Vikoka from the more important task of making it inside the castle. Of the trio, only Mada had been given all the details, and now the dark-haired youth and his twin looked up to their mentor, hoping for an explanation on the next task at hand.

Yet Kali only laughed, regaining the attention that had been lost with a wolf's smile on his face. "Don't worry." He said. "You'll know when we find it."

* * *

There were no signs of any of the others when the group of four finally departed the dance room. The ash that had acted as a summoning circle had been dispersed, what little belongings the group had brought with them stowed away on bodies, and as the door closed softly behind them, nothing remained to show there had ever been a group of thirteen within.

Mada lead the way once more, Vikoka and Koka at her back and Kali in between the duo-a wanderer who'd somehow managed his way into the castle only to be captured by the trio in question, now being escorted to a place only they knew.

Yet still, a viable excuse on the lips, the small groups remained cautious. For off in the distance, every now and then one demon might hear the roar of some great beast-a feline, perhaps a lion or tiger, maybe even a leopard. There even came a time when two roars of a similar nature came to respond to each other down the crossway of one corridor, and then came the sounds of snarls and hisses and yowls until finally one of the voices rose in a great shriek of pain before growing silent.

They moved as far away from those voices as possible.

No one wanted to see what creature was at the end of those cries.

For the roars and growls were not the only sounds of life from within the castle. When the groups had exited the dance room, what sounded like an explosion had caused the very stone they walked on to shudder, and even now other sounds that spoke of destruction sank in the air.

A raptor's shriek.

The howl of a pack of canines.

The laughter of a mad man.

The scratch of taloned feet upon the black stone they traversed.

And so many other noises that only their mind's eye could give form to.

What pride Vikoka had felt in Kali's praise had long since dispersed with such noises, and in it's place caution ran rampant, leaving the youth feeling cornered, trapped, a rabbit being chased down a maze by onlt the god's knew what, hunted by beasts and monstrosities who knew the maze's corridors by heart and leading them all straight to a dead end.

He tried to banish the thoughts. Tried with all his might. But as his own paranoia began to creep up on him Vikoka's imagination only grew more dreary, and so it was the youth almost jumped from his skin when a small figure rounded a corner and barreled into Mada.

The woman grunted even as the figure-a child, a young one with white hair-collided into each other. Automatically Mada's hands went to the girl's slim shoulders, steadying the youth and allowing the others to gain a look at the girl. "Wow...easy there lass..." Mada murmured, just as another child-this a girl-child around the same age with curly blonde hair, rounded the same corner as the first.

That one froze at the sight of the group, alarm entering her expression and causing the youth to take step back. Mada blinked and looked from the blonde to the lighter-haired child who'd run into her, seeing a similar expression and slowly releasing the youth's shoulders, hoping to ease the apprehension in both children's faces.

It seemed to work, if only minutely, and the fire-haired woman put on her best smile, trying her hardest not to look intimidating. "Oh my." She said. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there Dear. Are you alright?"

The child took a step away from her, putting a small amount of room between herself and Mada and allowing the child to look the adult over. Slowly the child mutely nodded her head, her expression remaining wary as violet eyes-an unusual shade, even among the demon-kin-darted from Mada to the three at her back, carefully examining the twins and the 'prisoner' they were escorting. From the corner of one eye Vikoka caught Kali tense as the youth looked his way, and as those odd violet eyes darted back to Mada, so too did the tension begin to ease from Kali's body. "Urd..." He breathed, his voice so soft that had Vikoka not been standing next to the man, the youth would have missed the word altogether.

Urd...that name sounded familiar...Vikoka was almost certain he'd heard it before, and as he stared down at the dark-skinned child, he began to recall from where it was he'd heard the name before. That's right! The Daimakaicho had a daughter named Urd, and as he began to compare the child to the legendary Demon Lord, there became little doubt in Vikoka's mind that the child before him was indeed that woman's offspring. The similarities between the two were remarkable-almost frightening with skin of a similar tan and sharing near-identical eyes and hair-color.

In front of him, Mada continued. "I'm Femme Taraka. The two twins behind me are the Fouls Gaki and Enku."

Nothing but a continued silence came from either children, the little blonde looking from Urd to Mada to the Vikoka and the others in no small amount of anxiety and looking very much like a child who wanted to turn tail and bolt. Yet Urd seemed to have all the authority of her mother in regards to children her own age, and while the little blonde seemed incapable of leaving her leader's side, Urd frowned, looking to Kali once more. "Who's he?" She asked, pointing to the man in question.

Kali spoke before Mada had a chance to come up with a response. "I'm a Bad Person, Child." He said. "That's why I'm with these Slayers. I did a bad thing and got caught for it."

The silver-haired child cocked her head to one side. "Why didn't you run?"

The question caught Kali and all those present around him off-guard, and for a second nothing but silence filled the air as the group of four regarded the child. Koka was the one who seemed to snap out of it first, and with a grunt, he elbowed Kali in the ribs, making a show of force that caused Kali to grunt. "Hey, you heard the girl. Aren't you going to answer her?" He growled, trying his hardest to imitate the growling guard from the castle gate.

To Vikoka, he sounded like a kitten trying to sound like a tiger.

Yet it still seemed to do the trick. Kali blinked. "I..._did_ run lass. The Slayers were faster."

In front of them, Urd shook her head. "Then you should have had a back-up plan." She said. "Or _something. _For you to be here means you did a _really_ bad thing. And Ma-the Daimakaicho only saves _those _people for Andras."

"Andras?" Kali asked, even as the child nodded softly.

"Uh-huh. He likes to hear his victims scream."

Vikoka looked to Kali and watched as the man visibly paled, his skin taking on an ashen color that sent off warning bells in the green-eyed youth's head. Mada looked to be no better, having tensed at the little girl's words and coming to watch the child with an impassive look of her own. Next to Kali Koka swallowed a lump in his throat, and Vikoka felt his stomach churn at the little girl's words.

Was it such a fate they would face should they fail their mission?

Vikoka sincerely hoped he'd never find out.

"Now now Little One, let's not scare the Bad Man _too_ much." Koka jumped in, grinning cheerfully as Urd turned her attention his way. "After all, that's what Andras is for, right? No need to spoil _that_ one's fun, I would think. So how about you? Aren't you going to introduce yourself? And what about your friend there behind you?" Koka nodded to the little blonde, who seemed to shy away from the attention even as the violet-eyed child tilted her head once more to the side.

"You people smell strange." The little girl instead said, throwing the group of four into a further state of confusion at the words, and Vikoka watched as the Daimakaicho's daughter inhaled, nostrils flaring like a beast scenting out an animal. Behind her, the little blonde nodded in agreement, sneezing as though whatever scent the girl smelled made her nose itch. "You don't smell like the others...right Marller?"

Behind her, the blonde-Marller, nodded in agreement. "Yeah...Even the newer Slayers don't smell like these people. And one of them doesn't even know who we are Urd. Aren't we introduced to all the new Slayers who come here? Just so we know who we can and can't bother?"

Vikoka's eyes widened at the revelation, and his eyes darted to his twin. _Idiot! This was why Mada was supposed to do all the talking!_ He threw the mental scream at his other half, and watched Koka flinch as the words entered his mind.

This time it was Urd's turn to nod, and the child's violet gaze returned to Mada once more. "Yep." She said. "Which means only one thing..." She drifted off, and Vikoka felt himself lean forward in anticipation of the girl's next words.

"It means you aren't Slayers."

And with those words, the two children turned as one and bolted, leaving behind a Kali who was ordering the three of them to grab the kids, leaving Mada cursing and Koka and himself suddenly afraid that all their plans and efforts were about to go to waste.

Yet it seemed luck was on their side, for Mada, who was already well within range of Urd, grabbed the child by the wrist even as Koka raced past her, chasing after the other girl who'd already disappeared around the corner. "Oh no you don't!" Mada cried, yanking Urd back to her and causing the youth to yelp in pain. However, rather then struggle against the larger woman, Urd instead followed the momentum of the yank, turning to face the red-eyed woman with a snarl and then leaping into the air, snapping like a rapid dog at Mada's throat.

The bite missed only by sheer luck as Mada, surprised by the child countering with an attack of her own, released the child with a shout and stumbled back with a start, both hands moving to protect her neck from teeth-even the blunted teeth of a child-that seemed all too eager to tear her jugular out.

Her original target gone, gravity returned Urd to the ground, where the dark-skinned child fell to her rump with a grunt. Quickly she rose to her feet, counting her blessings for the amount of lessons both Goetia and Slayers had drilled into her mind and body with the same hand-to-hand techniques both factions used against their opponents.

The silver-haired girl raced around the corner after Marller, watching with a smirk as the speedy blonde that was her friend ducked and dodged the grabs from one of their pursuers. That chances of him catching someone like Marller were about as slim as a Valkyrie falling for a Goetia-_without_ the bad love spells Sitri was so infamous for. After all, Marller was a girl who lived in the forest and played tag with the avatar form of the Goetia Marchosias-a winged wolf with a serpents tail who always seemed to have a bad case of indigestion that caused him to burp fire-and usually _won_. Some demon who thought he could pass himself off as a Slayer was nothing by comparison, and had the situation not been so dire Urd would have laughed at the man's misfortune.

However, Urd had other problems to worry about, as she hadn't gotten away from her own pursuers quiet yet, and with a glance behind her to see where it was her pursuers stood, Urd increase her own pace.

Only to slam into the legs of the demon who'd snuck past her without Urd's notice, violet eyes widening in shock and looking up into the same face that was so heavily pursuing Marller.

"What?" With a start, Urd looked back down the hallway, seeing the scene as before-Marller maneuvering around the demon with the green eyes and the braided hair with all the ease of a dancer and working her way further down the hall and towards freedom. Urd looked back to the demon she'd collided with.

Same eyes, same hair. Same enraged expression.

Crap. She'd let herself get distracted, forgetting two of the intruders were twins like that.

With a snarl, the child turned to run.

"Not this time ya' don't."

And then something collided with the back of her neck, and Urd's vision faded into the black of oblivion.

* * *

"Urd!"

Urd had not been the only child keeping an eye on her friend.

Marller could have escaped her pursuer a long time ago. The man, for all his long legs and tall body, lacked discipline and grace, the quick and controlled darts she'd mastered from games of 'chase' and simple, daily exercises of avoiding Urd's more dangerous spells were damned-near non-existent in the man that was her opponent. Shoot, even _Urd_, who'd always been better at aiming spells then avoiding them, could probably avoid this guy with how slow he was.

The only reason she'd stayed in the lone corridor was to insure that Urd would be behind her when they finally gained enough distance from the intruders to make a dead-sprint to someone who could take care of their pursuers. And so she'd watched, releaved to see Urd round the corner and make her way to Marller's position.

Only to be cut off by her own pursuer's twin.

And now the child found herself running to her companion's aid, throwing caution to the wind and unleashing the most fierce shriek her small body could muster. Looking for an opening from her current opponent, the child made a mad dash to Koka, falling to her knees at the last second and sliding between the man's legs, ducking into a roll her grandfather had taught her and rolling to her feet with little, if any, speed lost in the action.

Yet for all the concern she felt to her friend, it did Marller little good if she forgot her own.

An arm snaked around her waist. "What, you think you can just forget about me because my twin's got your friend? Don't you know _I'm _the better looking of the two of us?" With a yelp from Marller, Koka picked the fanged child up off the ground. The girl-child squirmed and growled in his grip, and with his arm wrapped securely around her torso, the blonde lashed out, clawing at his neck, where curled fingers hooked around the necklace that lay underneath the man's shirt.

Startled, Koka moved the child further from his face, holding her at an arm's distance even as the child yanked the necklace from his body. There was a near-inaudible _snap_ as the string holding it and the spell-stones supporting it reached it's limit, followed by a more-audible cackle as the stones clattered to the floor. Panicking now, her own safety filling her mind even as Urd's left it, Marller flailed against her captor, who cursed as he stared down at the now useless stones.

Distracted, Koka never noticed the child reach a hand down her blouse, the torn and ruined cloth of a spell no one knew about, withdrawing the one thing she'd come to keep on her since her grandfather had given it to her, since it had helped slay a bicorn that was more then ready to slay _her._

The Angel Biter sang as Marller whipped it through the air, trying hard to earn some sort of lucky cut, lucky graze against Koka's arm that might force him to drop her and allow Marller the chance to escape.

What happened instead neither beings, be they child or rebel, expected.

The song grew into a wail the more Marller swiped at Koka, the gaps, so much like the teeth of some great predator, cutting through the air and creating a haunting melody that seemed to go ignored by the two demons.

Yet still, something heard it's song.

For suddenly a devil had sprouted from Koka's back, black and serpentine and human all at once-a great and terrible winged _naga_ that, with a hiss charged towards the owner of the song.

Two pairs of eyes followed it's journey with a start, one pair of green, confused as to what could have caused his devil to surface, and one pair of red, whose eyes only grew larger as the monstrosity grew near. With a scream, Marller, closed her eyes, looking away and slashing through the air and feeling her blade slice through something solid.

Twin screams pierced the air, and Marller opened her eyes, only to find herself falling, the grip that had been like a vice around her body vanishing as instead Koka moved to cover his face, a thick cut across the left eye of the devil that housed half his spirit and causing the creature to flail in pain, something that looked too thick to have been blood oozing from the inflicted wound.

The child hit the ground with a pained grunt, looking up at Koka and his devil and finding herself too stunned to do anything aside from stare up at her enemy, the blade in her hand silent and forgotten once more with a tip covered in a substance that seemed to vanish, as though the blade itself was absorbing whatever essence the devil was made of.

There was a whirling of green wind that had to have been Koka's magic signature and then the devil vanished, retreating into Koka's body once more. The man in question staggered above Marller, before finally coming to peer down at the child with one enraged green eye, the other blocked from sight, covered by both hands. "You little _shit_!" Koka shrieked, a hand removing itself from his face faster then Marller could follow and grabbing hold of the child's collar. "I'm gonna fuckin' _kill_ you!" He hoisted to child up off the ground before she could react, spinning around and throwing the child towards a wall.

The child collided with a display of armor aligned against the wall, and as she sailed through it and stuck the stone behind it, so too did the armor collapse on top of her, burying the child under it's weight before the girl even had a chance to cry out in pain.

Still clutching his eye with one hand, Koka stormed over to the may plates of metal, his expression murderous as he began kicking the many pieces, smashing his foot down on the pile, shifting the armor around in the hopes that he might find a small demon he could crush under his heavy boots.

It was Vikoka who came to Marller's rescue, ironically, one eye sealed shut as though it pained him, and the other worried, his face marred into a grimace. "Koka, Koka!" He shouted, one arm wrapped around the small unconscious Urd that rested on his shoulder, the other moving to wrap around one of his brother's arms. "Forget the brat man, we gotta bail! Listen!"

Yet Koka seemed to not be in the mood for listening, and with a scowl he looked to his sibling. "Vi, did you see what that little bitch did to me? My eye, Vikoka, my goddamn _eye!"_

Vikoka nodded to his twin, releasing his brother's arm while pointing to his own eye, swollen shut with a phantom pain that burned like fire. "Yes Koka, I _know." _He said. "But we're going to have to worry about a lot more than an eye if we don't get outta here, and I mean _now_." The words came out as a hiss, and again Vikoka grabbed Koka's arm. "_Listen."_

And the man did. And with it came the sounds of yelps, of hisses, of screeches and roars and shrieks that drained whatever rage Koka had been extracting on Marller's fallen form.

Cold, clear fear replaced it.

"Listen Koka. Kali says we got what we needed for leverage." He shifted his grip on Urd with a grunt. "I think you did more then your share of beating on the other kid. But we don't need her. What we _do _need is to get out of here and put some sort of distance between us and the Daimakaicho's dogs. Got it?"

Koka nodded in understanding, and his twin released his arm. "Come on, lets go meet up with Mada and Kali." He said, jogging down the corridor and around the corner, Koka close on his heels.

The brothers came to a halt about half-way down the next one, where Mada and Kali stood waiting, a scowl on Mada's face as her eyes landed on the unconscious charge resting on Vikoka's shoulder.

"You have the girl. Good. Let's go." Kali announced, the seriousness that was so unmistakable _Kali _falling around the man as he turn and ran farther down the corridor.

Mada chased after him, speeding to run at his side as the twin brought up the rear. "Kali..." She said in-between breaths. "These kids are monsters. You saw what the Daimakaicho's brat did-she tried to rip my throat out-with her_ teeth_. If all the Slayer-Kin are like this...they need to be wiped out Kali. We're dealing with little more then a pack of rapid animals here. We need to destroy them before they destroy _us_."

The man at her side nodded. "Yes...believe me, I've known this truth for a good many years now." He glanced over his shoulder and to Vikoka, one eye shut in a near-mirror image of Koka, who clutched his same eye in a pained grimace, and to the small child on Vikoka's shoulder. "And now that we have the Daimakaicho's offspring, I intend to do exactly that."

Off in the distance, the inhuman cries of monstrosities great and terrible echoed through the corridors, reaching the ears of the four present and causing them all to run harder, to a place only Kali knew.

For off in the distance, the fox hunt had begun.

* * *

_Rant of a madwoman: _I hate this week. Training sucks with 24 hour shifts mixed with a furniture move only one other person helps with. That and what we thought was a gas leak with myself and my wingman being the main victims gave me a good scare. She and myself have been getting the short end of the stick since this whole training started, and when the back office started smelling like an animal had died, it only got worse.

But to save myself a page, I'll spare that story for any soul interested enough to drop me a pm.

Also, I like the word _jugular_. I've been waiting for an opportunity to use that word for so long, and finally getting the chance makes me happy. Like a puppy. Ripping someone's jugular out. Like Lupa gone berserk in the form of Cerberus from _Digital Devil Saga._ Lots of jugulars ripped out there.

Shutting up with that before I get any more disturbing.

Anywho, the whole 'bitey' thing Urd did with Mada is actually based off a rather violent, rather gruesome form of martial arts called _Kino Mutai, _The art of 'biting and eye-gouging'. For a bunch of angel slaying soldier demons from hell itself, I couldn't think of a better technique to base some of their attacks on.

By now I'm certain I've thoroughly scared all of you away from anything else I'll ever come to write, so I'll shut up now.


	10. Indentured Servant

Rebellion.

It was a word Hild had grown familiar with a long time ago.

It was not something uncommon from within the realms of Niflheim.

Every century or two, a group would rise, believing her reign unjust, that they could do better, that they were the future. And she would watch them, sitting from within the shadows as one group after another slowly gathered people to their cause until there finally came the time for them to strike.

She welcomed their attacks with open arms.

Their attacks proved an amusement for her and her and stress relief for her men, a new challenge to test their own skills on and to test new tactics that had been developed in training. She kept track of each and every rebellious group, sending in an infiltrator of her own to test the waters and gain a feel for those who'd proclaimed her an 'enemy'. She would capture their people, interrogate them, and release them with her blessings and gifts before sitting in anticipation for the day their leaders finally thought it time to strike.

And when they did...

So too would her fox hunt begin.

And they would hunt, her men and herself, as beasts and men, scenting out the little foxes those rebels were and chasing them through the castle they thought would become their sanctuary-chase them 'till the foxes could run no more, until they were cornered, forced to turn and bare their fangs at their hunters.

They would toy with the little foxes until the time came for the games to end.

After that...

Only Andras knew.

However...there was something different about this rebellion.

She'd forgotten one small, significant detail she'd forgotten to take into account.

The Daimakaicho had forgotten about the children.

* * *

The cur sneezed, lifting its head and shaking as though some sort of dust had settled on it's dark coat. It let out a soft whuff to its companions before lowering it's head to the stone once more, the dog's tail a banner that wagged every now and then as it caught hold of a new scent. Near the winged canine, two wolves seemed to preform much the same duty as it's smaller kin, a wolf with wings pawing at the ground occasionally while the wolf with the snake's tail bounded first one direction then the next, seeming to go in circles as it traced out the ash that had once been scattered on the floor.

The others in the room, the demons not yet in the form of their avatar, watched on in silence. They were dressed lightly-not so much as a scrap of armor rested on any of the demons bodies, yet from the open weapons that adorned them, the group looked to be readying for a battle.

Or a hunt.

The door to the dance chamber opened softly, and only a small portion of the residential demons looked to the intruder, the others focused heavily on their four-legged comrades. Those who looked nodded in greetings as the Daimakaicho strode in, dressed not in her usual business dress but in a less exotic uniform that matched the outfit her Goetia were adorned in. In comparison to her usual dress, the clothes seemed almost conservative-something she'd decided long ago would need to be a priority whilst walking amongst any of her men-the last thing she needed were her Slayers and Goetia ogling her body when there were Valkyries about.

Or rebels.

"Well?" She asked, sliding up behind one section of the small group and easing her way to the front. "What do we have so far?"

A tall, pale demon with gray eyes looked to her. "A group of thirteen, Ma'am." Bifrons said. "Amon says they came through a summoning circle-ten of 'em, with three preforming the ritual." He pointed to the serpent-wolf, who looked up at the sound of his name and panted a wolf's grin. "Marchosias thinks they left in groups but he's not sure how many." He jutted his chin out to the white wolf with a matching pair of wings before turning his gaze to the winged hound. "Glasya thinks the biggest group has 'round...four, maybe five people in it though."

Hild nodded thoughtfully, watching as the small pack of three weaved patterns before her eyes as the lead one, Amon, let out a yip before moving to trot over to where the Daimakaicho stood, the other two following soon after him. _We hunt? _The words echoed softly in her mind, the lupine form unable to form his thoughts into words as Amon moved to sit before the Daimakaicho.

The silver haired woman allowed a slim smile to adorn her face in amusement, a bronze hand adorned in rings and bracelets and bangles that acted as seals moving to met the beast's head. "Yes...all in good time." She murmured, the wolf's tail thumping against the ground once happily. The demon turned to Bifrons once more. "For the moment we shall divide into three groups." She said. "I want a Goetia with a good nose in each group to lead the way. As it stands, its more likely then not that there are going to be several more smaller groups then ourselves composed of these intruders, so keep your senses open. Just because you've caught one pack of foxes doesn't me there aren't more."

She looked to Marchosias, his wings curled tightly to his sides as he moved to stand at the attention. "Marchosias will have Marbas, Samigina, Gusion, and Eligos with him." The wolf wandered off to one side and the demons Hild named followed soon after him, engulfing the lupine in a circle of men and near-masking the beast from view.

The woman pointed to the winged canine next. "Glasya-Labolas will have a group consisting of himself, Aim, Purson, Furfur, and Raum." The dog barked in what Hild assumed was an agreement before bounding off to the other side of the room, tail wagging gaily as the ones who'd been assigned to him chased after the creature.

Hild nodded in approval as she watched them section off around the hound. "I shall accompany Amon." She nodded to the serpentine wolf in question. "With me shall be Bifrons, Zagan, Decarabia, and Phenex."

A soft murmur came from those that remained as the ones called split off from their comrades. The demon nodded in understanding, sensing their restlessness and moving to ease it with her next words. "The rest of you shall go about your business. Stay on the look-out but do not go anywhere unaccompanied. If you find any who don't belong, then by all means, they are free game. However, do not forget; an animal is dangerous most when it is cornered. So too will it be the case with these rebels once they discover they are being hunted. Assume nothing and expect everything."

Nods and quiet murmurs of agreement met her ears, and the Daimakaicho smiled, taking a moment to simply stare at her men. They had grown smaller over the centuries from the force they'd once been. Once a legion of demons feared by anything and everything, somewhere along the way Hild's Goetia had lessened in number, many destroyed in a battle of old, others simply disappearing one day after another without a trace. It had hurt, those who'd vanished, almost as though she'd lost a piece of herself to something, some great predator locked away in the shadows from a place she could not venture.

The disappearances reeked of Valkyries.

Yet Hild could do nothing with no proof, and so burying the thoughts once more Hild smiled, pushing away her discomfort in favor for those before her. "Then let us depart." She said.

It wasn't until the Daimakaicho and her people were the last remaining demons that Hild addressed her group. "Let the others have sport with the smaller rebels." She said, her eyes dancing as the silver haired woman looked to first one, than another demon, addressing each and every entity that fell under her gaze. "I want the leaders." Violet eyes drifted to the floor, where against an inhuman sight the glow of a foreign spell glimmered against the ground-residue magic that hadn't been erased as it should have. The woman licked her lips, a predators smile spreading across her face as she looked down to the one who was to be her tracker.

"And I'm willing to bet a month's worth of _macca_ on the fact that their leaders are a part of that large group that was scented out. These fools are just like the rest-they'll want to protect their leader, so they'll form the largest group to do it-more bodies to expend whilst they give their 'king' a chance to escape." The woman kneeled down, placing herself eye-level with the wolf that was Amon, his tail whipping dangerously with a hiss as it instigated the rattle that formed on the tail's end. "And I know your nose is good Amon." Her voice was low, and the lupine's ears perked forward in interest. "You're going to lead us to their leader. And we are going to unleash a fury the likes of which they've never seen before." The wolf panted, and Hild smiled as she caught a glimmer of the beast's fangs, long and protruding and dripping with a substance that held too much a sheen to be saliva.

The woman rose, and this time she addressed all her audience. "Come. Let us show these fools why it is we are so feared amongst the heaven's elite." And with her words so too did Amon let loose a howl, long and terrible, before darting past the Daimakaicho with a snap and out the door from which they entered, her men following with howls of their own.

The howls of demons set loose on a hunt.

She watched them depart, and then with a laugh as wild and untamable as the howls of her men, the Daimakaicho chased after them, her smile vicious, bloodthirsty, and hungry.

* * *

They paused when the group of demons came to a large hole in the wall. Amon would have passed it by entirely had not one of the men, the rather bold and stocky Zagan, grabbed the beast by the scruff of the neck, pulling the wolf back with a strangled yelp. The beast snapped angrily at the assault and Zagan smacked his muzzle in response. "Hole caught the Daimakaicho's attention." He muttered, pointing to where Hild had moved to step through the perimeter, seeming to examine everything she came across-the stones that littered the ground inside the room, the scorch marks that adorned several of the blocks that had fallen, the overturned items that littered the floor inside the room-everything.

"Decarabia, was it not you who spoke of those cat idiots wishing to store some of their older weapons in one of the hidden armories?" She called out behind her, scenting the air with a frown as she moved from one rack of weapons to another, hands brushing old racks of weapons with a frown that grew deeper when her hand came away free of dust. Someone, or perhaps a good many someones, had been in here recently.

They didn't reek of cat.

Behind her, the demon who'd been addressed nodded, a weathered old man who held a cruel glimmer in his dark eyes. "Yes Daimakaicho." He responded. "Sitri and his kin asked for the keys to the rooms, though by the looks of things one of them, or perhaps something else, got rather...rambunctious in their doings."

The woman nodded absently, recalling an earlier report not even an hour prior the hunt she was on now stating that Sitri had been thrown into a holding cell after assaulting his two younger siblings. Flauros, the big lug, had been charmed in one of his brother's magical attacks and had begun destroying the interior of one of Hild's more valued rooms. Several demons had been knocked out in an attempt to knock _him_ out, and Ose had been sent to the ward with several rather painful gashes on various areas of his body.

The woman paused as she came to one item in particular, moving a hand out to trace the many patterns of the interwoven iron before her. The gate had been activated. And recently too. Amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously at the metal, and Hild rose once more. "Were any weapons taken from this armory?" She looked back to her comrades, who'd begun their own investigations following Hild's lead.

Zagan nodded. "Noticed some racks that weren't knocked over damned-near empty." He grunted. "Ain't no weapons on the ground next to 'em either."

The bronze woman nodded as well, shifting to look down at the smaller demon with a thin smile. "Than we can assume our prey had armed itself." She said. "Keep that in mind, boys. They're toying with Slayer-craft now. Even under-trained idiots like these rebels can be considered dangerous with something like _that_ in their hands. Now lets move out. Be it those moronic cats or the moronic rebels who made this mess, we're wasting precious time here trying to figure it out. It's time to venture on."

Grunts and mutters greeted her ears, and she moved to stand from where she crouched to watch her men shuffle out. Amon was the last of her men to leave, and even then the wolf hesitated, trotting over to where Hild stood with a piteous whine escaping his throat. _My children..._He whined, moving to press his body against one of Hild's legs and looking up at her with melancholy eyes.

Hild's frown deepened as dark red eyes met violet, and a hand fell to rest upon the beast's head. "Yes..." She murmured. "I know. They were here. They were the ones who activated the gate. But even I cannot tell if it was before of after those rebels came here." The hand moved to scratch behind the creatures ears. "Come. Use that nose of yours to find your children as well as my rebels, Amon." It was a command, and as the Daimakaicho removed her hand from his head the wolf was off in a bolt, disappearing through the hole and leaving nothing but dust swirling in the light that pierced the room.

And Hild followed after him, her thoughts growing troubled and an emotion that felt alien reaching down and grabbing hold of her heart.

She needed to find the children.

* * *

It didn't take long to find one of the children Hild had grown concerned for after departing the ruined armory.

The group had been in a hallway-one of the many corridors aligned with old stacks of armor that had grown outdated and had become little more then decoration to those who passed them by. Yet one of them had fallen from where it stood, and it was that sheet of armor that Amon raced to, a high whine escaping his throat as he pawed at the metal, yipping and dancing around the plates of iron anxiously.

"Amon! What are you doing you overgrown mutt?" Decarabia snapped, following the others as they approached the wolf.

Phenex approached the creature in curiosity, and the beast whirled to face the lanky man with a snarl, rising to his hind legs and resting his forepaws on the demon's shoulders. The creature seemed to tower over the dredlock-adorned demon, making even the tall Phenex seem small in the creature's presence. The tan man's eyes widened, and he blinked lilac eyes at the wolf. "Your kids Mon?" He asked, tilting his head to one side in curiosity.

The wolf removed himself from the man's shoulders and dashed back to the pile or armor, pawing the plates once more before looking back to the group expectantly.

They stared.

"What are you standing around like idiots for?" Hild's voice rose like a wave of cool behind the demons, and the men tensed. "Are you going to at least see what it is that has gotten our tracker so riled up? Go examine the armor!" She snapped, and as one the small group raced to do as they were instructed, shifting pieces of metal one place and another, carefully removing the pieces of iron until one of them let out a shout.

The others paused in their doings to stare at the source of the exclamation and Hild drew near, looking over the heads of her men and swallowing the heart that leaped into her throat. Some small, dark and sinister voice whispered eagerly in the Daimakaicho's ear and the woman set her jaw in a vain effort to rid herself of it. Yet the voice persisted and as violet eyes fell upon the unburied form, a chill raced up her spine.

It was Marller.

The child laid half-buried under the mound of armor her men had steadily removed, what small part of her visible covered in cuts and scrapes and bruises. The girl's head listlessly fell to one side, only the slight condensation that appeared on a protruding piece of iron showing the breath of the living. And Marller's arm...

Marller's right arm had been caught between two sections of metal. Blood, thick and dark, oozed from where the iron had snapped shut on the limb. As Zagon carefully removed more and more of the iron from the limb, Hild caught sight of flesh that had grayed from blood loss, bends in areas no arm was supposed to bend in, and the dark and swollen purple of deep bruises. The arm had been crushed, near-severed from the rest of Marller's body.

Red flashed across Hild's vision as blonde hair grew into silver and light flesh grew dark, and Hild's hands clenched at her sides, the only outward reaction to the sight before her. Then the woman blinked and Urd was gone, replaced with the injured Marller once more.

"Phenex." The man looked up at his name and glanced at the Daimakaicho, finding himself incapable of meeting the raging amethysts that were Hild's eyes and instead focusing on the bronze woman's brow. "Wake the girl up. Keep her conscious and extract any information she has on the rebels. And for the Powers That Be, don't let her focus on her arm." The man nodded even as Hild's gaze left him for the stockier Zagan. "You will find Mara. You will bring him here. Is that clear?" The demon was up and running as soon as Hild finished her orders. He was gone before her eyes even fell upon their next victim. "Decarabia, take Amon and patrol the surrounding area withing a one hundred foot radius. I want an assessment on where it is the ones responsible for this could have ventured off to by the time you return. Go."

The Daimakaicho watched the duo run off before stepping away from the armor. As Decarabia's foot falls grew quiet in his retreat with Amon, so too did Phenex's soft voice meet her ears, a gentle, warm coo that softly sang a lullaby of awakening to the child before him. The red haired demon was kneeled next to the blonde, placing himself between her and Marller's view of her arm as he stroked her head, a warm red glow leaving the tips of his fingers and seeping into the child's brow.

Slowly, the girl stirred, and with her movements came the rustling of instable iron. Hild's eyes darted to the mass of metal, yet Phenex knew what he was doing, and quickly the man leaned over, placing his mouth near the the child's ear and murmuring and incantation for stillness into her mind. Abruptly the movement stopped and instead Marller opened her eyes. The child's gaze was dark and unfocused, even as Phenex brought a hand under her chin and tilted it up to meet his own red eyes. "Hey Lil' Sis, ja alright?" He asked.

Marller didn't respond at first, staring blankly at the man before her as though incapable of recognizing him. Then she blinked as recognition dawned in her face. "It hurts." She whispered, shifting her head left and right as she looked around, confusion in her red eyes as they happened upon the Daimakaicho. "What happened?" The fanged child returned her gaze to Phenex. "Where am I? Why do I hurt so much?" She whined.

Again, Phenex ran a hand through her hair, the soft glow of his magic fading from sight as quickly as it appeared. "Hey, hey, calm down Sis." He soothed. "'Dat's what we're tryin' to find out. Can ja' remember anything 'dat happened before 'dis? Any strange people? Any strange noises?"

Yet the fanged child shook her head. "My arm hurts really bad." She whined. "And it's getting all tingly too. Why's it hurt so much? What happened to my arm?" Ignoring his questions, Marller's gaze turned to look past the demon and to her right arm. Phenex shifted his position before she had a chance to catch sight of it.

"No, Lil' Sis. I need ja' to focus on me." He said, once more bringing a hand under her chin and lifting it to his gaze. "Dere is some bad people in da castle dat we need to find and we need to know if ja came across any of dem. Understand?" The redhead didn't release the girl's chin until she nodded in his grip, and the stern expression he wore evaporated with a smile. "Good girl."

Hild watched the conversation continue with an expressionless face, her eyes watching yet not quite seeing the two demons before her as the silver haired woman leaned against a wall. Rebels...this was a first. There had never been a time prior the current group where children had freely wandered the halls Hild hunted her prey. It must have been sheer coincidence the children had run afoul into the group she was pursuing. And with Marller in her current condition...

A frown tugged at the corner of her lips. Urd and Marller were damned-near inseparable. If Decarabia and Amon didn't return with an unconscious child in their presence, than it was a sure bet that whoever had wounded Marller so badly had taken Urd with them. A soft growl went unheard by all at the thought, and Hild snorted, banishing the thought before it could fester into something worse.

Deal with Marller first. Urd was still alive though her condition was unknown. That much Hild was certain of. If her rebels were smart, they wouldn't think of killing the girl-she was much too valuable alive than dead.

A howl broke the Daimakaicho from her thoughts, alerting her of the return of Amon and Decarabia, the wolf's head bowed and tail limp and the man's expression bleak. The elder caught Hild's eye and shook his head as Amon trotted off to Phenex and Marller. "We found nothing." He said. "Amon caught a hint of Urd and the demons we were originally tracking, but the trail will have gone cold and dead if we do not move soon." At that his gaze drifted to the Goetia surrounding the injured Marller, Amon happily distracting the girl with a wash of wet licks that left the girl squealing. "What do you mean to do with the child, Daimakaicho?"

The woman took a deep breath, releasing it in a sigh as the sounds of running feet grew audible to her ears. And as Zagan and Mara rounded the corner and came into view, Hild answered Decarabia. "Something I'd never have thought to do to a child."

With that she left the old man, moving instead to the newest demon to join her party and hooking an arm around his own even as the Slayer caught sight of his granddaughter. The blonde let out a cry of protest at the action and even moved so far as to resist her, only to be reminded of who's company Mara found himself in as Hild yanked his arm painfully and sent him a scathing glare. Instantly the resistance came to a halt, allowing the Daimakaicho to draw him further away from the others.

When the woman was certain they were out of range of any but Amon's ears-who was distracted enough by Marller to not be a problem for eavesdropping-Hild spoke. "Marller is going to lose her arm."

The words were straight and to the point-Hild had no time for explanations and now was not the time to dance around the subject. A decision had to made about Marller quickly before the child was crippled and Hild still had her own daughter to worry about.

Mara, who'd already grown pale at the sight of his kin, went white with the revelation, and the demon stared at the bronze woman in anxiety. "Is there anything that can be done?" His voice was thick with apprehension, and Hild was all too aware as to why. The man caught the look she sent him and his frown deepened. "_Aside_ from that, Daimakaicho?"

Yet Hild shook her head. "Don't be imprudent Mara. You know damn well it's the only option. It's either that or she goes through life with one arm. Be happy I even bothered calling you here to ask your opinion or I'd have already done it by now. However she is your blood, not mine, and I _do_ hold some value to the relationship we have. So I'll leave the decision up to you."

The silver haired woman watched her companion grit his teeth, his gaze moving away from her and looking past to the group of Goetia, perhaps in some vain effort to catch a glance once more of his grandchild. Yet it was all for naught, as the small unit blocked the child from sight, their attentions mixed between the child centered in the ring of demon-flesh and the world around them, watching, waiting for any signs from the Daimakaicho in the ways of instruction.

The man's hands clenched at his side, and a snarl blossomed upon his face as he returned his gaze to Hild. "Daimakaicho-Hild-you can't be serious. She's a child-she's young. _Too _young. If you were to do that to her...if she were to..." The man trailed off, burying his face in his hands in dread. Hild allowed him his moment, watching impassively as hands fell away from his face and the Slayer voiced several choice phrases to the world, turning away from his leader in favor of connecting his fist with a pillar. When he looked to her once more, a solemn expression had risen on his features. "What would-what _could _you even do with someone like that?"

Hild only shrugged, her expression neutral and giving nothing away to thoughts that held a frightening resemblance to the very questions Mara pelted her with. "And you'll shut that mouth of yours before you go to far, Slayer Mara." She said frostily. "Do not forget your place here. There's not been _one_ time I've done it for my own interest. Do not even _think_ of accusing me of it now. I'll ask you once more now, and as you try my patience with your questions, you'd best answer me quickly lest I decide for you. Do you want me to save your granddaughter's arm or not?"

Mara stared, his eyes desperate before growing withdrawn. Defeated, the man sighed, bowing his head in a nod.

She'd already turned and left before he even finished the nod.

* * *

"Move."

It was a simple command, one that sent all those present scurrying out of Hild's path as she approached. The demons parted like the red sea at her command, and silently they watched as Hild kneeled, moving in close to the child resting on the floor. Marller looked back, pale and sickly with a thin sheen of sweat on her brow. Phenex had dulled the pain as much as he'd dared, but even that wasn't enough to diminish the pain in the girl's arm.

Gently, Hild brought a hand underneath the child's chin, lifting it up to where red met violet. The child whimpered pitifully under the demon queen's gaze, and her head jerked, trying to break eye contact. Yet Hild's grip remained strong, and the jerk instead did little but jar the fanged child's body, sending a fresh spear of pain up her arm and into her body. The child cried out at the fresh wave of pain, squirming underneath the armor that remained atop her and only jostling her injuries further.

Hild's eyes narrowed. "Marller." The name was more a command than anything else, and automatically the blonde stilled at the call of her name, looking up in wide terror at the woman before her. The silver-haired demon smiled thinly at the child, as though in the hopes of easing the girl's nerves and failing miserably in the process. The Daimakaicho leaned in closer to Marller, her voice little more then a whisper meant for Marller and Marller alone. "Now listen carefully Child." She said. "You've been severely injured. That tingle in your arm isn't a good thing. You're going to lose it if something isn't done quickly."

Slit pupils contracted into hair thin strings at the revelation, and something too small to have even been called a cry escaped the girl's throat. "Now, I can save it for you if you wish it, however I shall not do the deed for free." Hild's smile grew light and wicked, and a spark of an emotion Marller was too young to recognized flashed in her eyes. "We are demons, Little Marller, and we do nothing for free. Remember that. And so I extend this offer to you."

"I shall give you a portion of my blood, just enough to save your arm from amputation and your body from growing maimed. But in exchange, Marller, I want your complete and devoted servitude. To me and my kin alone. For you shall have my blood in your veins. And blood cannot go against blood. Not without the risk of death. Do you understand, Child?" One hand still holding Marller's chin the other had moved to run through the thick locks of blonde hair, the action seeming to sooth the child and causing eyelids to droop over red eyes glazed over in trance.

Numbly, the child nodded in understanding. Hild's smile deepened into something more sinister, and she spoke once more. "Then in exchange for my blood do you pledge your life to me, Marller, child of _Jotun_ and granddaughter to Slayers?"

Another nod followed the first, and a deep purr of satisfaction rose from the Daimakaicho's throat. "Very good." The bronze woman leaned further down, gently kissing the child's brow before moving away, releasing her grip and both the girl's chin and her mind. And as red eyes began to lose their glaze, Hild brought one wrist forward, looking down at it with a slight frown. "I really do hate doing this..." She murmured, more to herself then any of her surrounding people. "It lasts less then a minute and it really doesn't hurt, but it's so _messy._" Her gaze drifted down to Marller once more, who blinked up at Hild lazily, as though having just awoken from a dream. "You'll want to brace yourself, Little One." She said. "This will hurt."

And with her warning delivered, Hild sank her teeth into her wrist with a snarl, clamping down on the flesh and tearing into it with the ferocity of a wild animal. When her head snapped up once more, blood trickled down her chin, just as it poured out of the gash in her wrist. The fluid fell to the ground, where it hissed and bubbled upon contact, and Marller's eyes grew wide. Red eyes watched in horror as again, the Daimakaicho approached, her expression fierce and savage and everything the stories told of her from days past come to life. They followed the wrist, watching as it drew near, moving closer before diverting to her arm, which tingled like an itch to the point where Marller couldn't feel her fingers anymore.

She cried out once as the first drop of blood hit her arm, seeping through the ruined cloth that covered it and to the injured limb beneath.

And then her world went black as Hild grabbed her arm, dragging her bloodied wrist down the child's limb.

Her mind withdrawing into the furthest reaches of her mind, Marller was never aware that the screams that haunted her into unconsciousness were the very ones escaping her own throat.

* * *

Vikoka jumped as a wail reminiscent of a tortured, dieing beast echoed in his ears. "What the hell was that?" He asked, speaking the very thoughts that were no doubt running through the minds of his companions.

Kali answered him with the shake of his head. "Further proof that the Daimakaicho needs to be taken from her throne." He said, restlessly eying the door that lead to the world beyond. "For a demon's cry to reach so deeply within the castle's walls...one can only imagine what tortures such a creature is being put through." The man glanced back at Vikoka and the man tensed under his gaze. "The only thing we can do it ignore it as best to our abilities for the moment. There is nothing that can be done for that soul, whatever it is, so pay it no mind."

The wails rose into shrieks before dieing down into mournful howls of desperation, and swallowing his anxiety, Vikoka did as bid, looking down at the small creature in front of him and wondering if it was possible such a young child would one day grow to the same fearful position as the Daimakaicho.

At least...had they not intervened.

The man withdrew a rope from one of the many pockets of his uniform and carefully went about binding her hands and feet. The girl hadn't so much as twitched since she'd been knocked out, but for a second Vikoka had thought he'd seen Urd twitch when the cried had begun. But a second, closer look revealed no signs of awakening from the silver-haired girl.

"Stop it, Bro. You're letting this place get to you." Her hands and feet bound tight, Vikoka looked up into his brother's face, one eye glued shut and puffy with an infection that existed solely in his mind. "Gotta remember, this is the Daimakaicho's territory. She lives to screw with other demons minds." He tapped his forehead and Vikoka was uncomfortably reminded of his new injury, something that would haunt Koka for the rest of his life and was inflicted by a child, a _child_ bless it all!

The demon shook his head, banishing the thoughts before his twin could pick them up like he'd just did beforehand. "You're right, Koka." He said. "But in a place so far from the surface...I don't thing anyone's been down here for a millenia. Do you think the Daimakaicho would even remember such a place exists?"

It was an area Mada had found by sheer luck; an old abandoned staircase situated in such a manner that if the fiery red-head hadn't run into it on accident, would have gone entirely unnoticed by the group of rebels. They'd taken it on a whim, allowing the staircase to lead them as far down as it could. When they finally did reach the bottom, the ceiling had grown so dark so quickly that even with a demon's natural night vision, it was impossible to see from where it was they had originated from. After that, no signs of life had been seen, be it cobwebs of old or burrows in walls that had begun to crumble with age. The air was stale and lifeless without the scent of a single demon aside each other on their noses.

It left for an eerily silent travel filled with demons too unnerved as their new surroundings to even comment on the lack of life.

It also left for an excellent hiding place.

And so it was the team found themselves, buried underground in the heart of an enemy's territory, deep within the heart of a creature so horrid it could barely be called a demon's home.

So now what?

"So now what, Kali?" As though reading Vikoka's mind, Mada spoke up, looking to their leader with a scornful frown. "We're here, we have the girl, and you still haven't told us why we need her or what we're going to do with her. So now what? What do you want us to do next? What are we going to do with the girl that _won't_ piss off that woman our people call 'Leader'?" The words were almost mocking in their anger, and Vikoka stared at the red-eyed woman in alarm.

What had gotten into her?

Yet if Kali noticed the tone with which she spoke, he ignored it, the man's gaze distant in thought before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small device. With a start Vikoka recognized it as a large, crystallized ear drum, most likely taken from the carcass of one of the large _Olitiau_ bats that were more commonly seen in the heated south and charmed with a spell to work as a makeshift communicator.

The man worked the item into into his ear, where it disappeared from Vikoka's view. With that the tall man began muttering under his breath, and within his ears the voices of his comrades rose. One group came, their cries and screams deafening and indecipherable as the roars of howls of monsters tore into them. And just as quickly as they came, their voices vanished, ignorant of their leader's call in their final moments.

In their place, another group came, and this one responded positively. "We here you Boss." Came one man, a slight pant to his voice from wherever it was he and his team ran down. "We found some old armory and raided it for some new toys. Where do you want us to meet you?"

Kali opened his mouth to relay his position, but hesitated for a brief moment. "We...have yet to decide an a secure location." He said. "But keep your eye out, you may find one before us. And be careful. One group has already been intercepted."

What sounded like it wanted to be a confirmation instead escaped as a scream from the man on the other end. Curses and shouts, and the man's voice came on line again. "Shit, I got bit by a snake!" He cried. "What the hell's a snake doing in a place like tha-" His words were cut off in a scream, and cries of 'a man' and 'lion' and 'snake' all blew into Kali's ear like bad music.

Then came the roar of a beast, and the line went dead.

Kali cursed under his breath, switching the frequency to a new feed and again hearing nothing but silence.

And silence.

And sil- "Who is this?"

Kali's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening as a voice that belonged to none of his men echoed within his head.

Again, the voice spoke. "I know someone is there. Speak up. Who is this? State your name and position." The voice demanded, a hint of aggravation in its voice as it impatiently waited for Kali to respond. Yet rather than respond, Kali instead ripped the device from his ear, tossing it to the ground furiously and smashing it under his heel.

He looked to Mada, who watched him with an expression of mixed fear and anger.

He looked to Koka, who watched him through one eye, sweat lining his brow as he fought through the still-fresh pain of his new injury.

He looked to Vikoka, who watched with one eye as well, the other closed in the phantom pain he shared with his twin as he stared at Kali with apprehension.

The man closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath, releasing it with a his before releasing it in a his. His eyes were grim when he opened them once more.

"We're alone." He announced. "The others have been captured. There is only one thing left we can do now."

His eyes drifted to Urd, than back to the trio. "We will barter with the Daimakaicho for the life of her daughter."

Somewhere, the wails and shrieks of a demon in pain faded. And as they did, ignored by everyone present in the room, Urd's eyes snapped open.

They were glowing red.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: And so begins one demon's never-ending loyalty to her leader, even as we grow into a more darker realm within the series. Things are about to grow more wild and out of control then ever before as more and more of the Daimakaicho's true nature is revealed, as well as a part of Urd that most might choose to ignore slowly reveals itself._

_Also, drawing comics are hard. I spent two weeks working on a four-armed monster popping out of a well to grab my MC and had to stop at the pencil draft. It's the first time one of my own drawings actually creeped me out._

_Yes. I am a sad person._

_Also, just as I'm posting this, I've come to realize I've locked myself out of my room, with only my first shirt as a point of contact for if ever such a thing were to happen. And since I'm too stubborn a fool to risk calling that person up on a Thursday night just to unlock my dorm room, I guess I can add 'idiot' to my profile as well._

_Looks like I'm sleeping in a day room tonight._

_FML._


	11. Monsters in the Dark

Origins 11

* * *

Everything felt wrong. The area was unfamiliar to her. So were the people. Nothing looked right, nothing smelled right, nothing _sounded_ right. Her wrists burned and she couldn't move her arms and legs.

So Urd did the first thing her instincts told her to do. Which was to remain perfectly still and _observe._ And so the child listened to her kidnappers, learning names and locations, numbers and plots. Pieces fell together and dots were connected as Urd slowly processed where it was they'd taken her. With it, nestled inside her mind where only she could see it, a plan began to form.

"Alright, let's take a break here." It was the voice of the one who'd introduced himself as the 'Bad Man', she recalled, only now he sounded worn and tired and wary, as though he was expecting something to jump out and attack him at any moment-and had been for a good long while.

There came a hushed murmur of agreements, and from where she'd rested thrown over the shoulder of one demon like a burlap sack, Urd slowly felt herself being shifted. The demon that had been carrying her-one of the twins, she remembered-laid her down on the ground before plopping down next to the child with a grunt. The surface felt uneven and cool against her body, and slowly Urd opened her eyes to mere slits, just enough to see her captor's legs.

Oh, what she wouldn't give to bite him right then.

But Urd held back. It wouldn't be right to give up the surprise just yet. Biting him now would only mean pain and unconsciousness once more. And that just wouldn't work at all.

_Have patience..._Her mother's voice whispered in her mind, the voice calm and reassuring, just as it always was during one of their many lessons together. _That is what defines the best of hunters, my dear. A true hunter knows when to strike and when to wait, and has looked to the future to view the results of his or her actions for each move he or she makes. You, my child, have a love and habit of doing what exactly it is your instincts demand of you, and while that is all fair and nice, sometimes that instinct to leap into a fray may be the one action that gets you killed. No, rather, listen to that other voice, that little voice of caution I know you have, and take its advice over that little monster egging you on in the back of your mind._

_After all, some of the best hunters in this world and others are the once with enough patience to wait for their prey to come to them..._

"How's the eye, Koka?" Dark ears twitched as Urd's captor spoke, and a pair of heavy footfalls grew near. The child felt something pointed nudge her back, and the lass fought down the angry snarl that might give her away. Instead, the same voice answered, though it came from behind her rather then next to her.

"C'mon, you know the answer to that Vikoka." The twin. The one that Marller had been playing with. "It hurts and I can't see through it." The child sensed the man step over her body, and as his shadow fell over her, Urd released a sigh of relief. It'd have been bad if he'd kept poking her.

The brother sat down next to his twin, and in a lower voice, once meant for Vikoka only but heard by Urd through sheer proximity, said, "I'm more worried about us getting through this thing." Koka whispered. "I don't like it, but I can live with one eye if it means us escaping this place in one piece." A deep sigh. "What do you think, Vikoka? Do we stand a chance? The Daimakaicho's already taken out everyone else. We're all that's left."

A rustle of clothes, a shrug perhaps. "I don't know, Koka. I mean, we have the Daimakaicho's daughter, but-"

"But after hearing some of the things she's done to other demons, you're afraid us having her won't do anything but piss off the Daimakaicho even more, right?" Koka interrupted, the flow from one twin to another so smooth that had she naught been close enough to hear the difference in distance between them, Urd might not have realized one had interrupted the other.

There came an indiscernible grumble from Vikoka, and the other sighed tiredly. "It certainly seems that way."

More footsteps, and a female voice entered the conversation. "Are you well and rested?" She asked. "We need to move soon. It's too risky to stay in any one place for too long. Kali wants us to get moving again."

Two pairs of echoing grumbles met Urd's ears, and she watched through her slit eyes as a pair of legs moved to stand, and the child's heart leaped to her throat as next came the exhilaration of weightlessness as the lass was picked up once more.

And with it, her captor bringing up the rear, Urd opened her eyes. Eyes that glowed in a dark that consumed the group. Eyes that saw more then the four who'd captured her could ever hope to see. And what she saw was a specter, a white phantom whose body was long and serpentine, following behind the four on dozens of small limbs. It's eyeless head looked up to her, and the specter smiled, revealing a long row of humanoid teeth from it's round head.

The worm had been following them for a long while now. But only to Urd did it make itself visible, sensing in the child a kinship to the very creature it resided in, and approaching it only as a creature that shared a symbiotic relationship with another would.

_Soon._ A voice, one not her own and not her mother's, whispered in her head. _Soon we strike. Now we prepare._

The worm smiled at her, chattering nonsense with it's human-teeth and crawling after the group on a long body with too many limbs in it's ethereal state. And Urd, whose eyes glowed the red of a demon with the taste of blood on it's tongue, smiled back. _Yes._ She agreed with the not-voice, whose presence she'd felt as a comforting linger at the back of her skull since her capture at the hands of an enemy force. _Soon we begin._

The odor of old and stale objects masking the smell, not even Vikoka, whose nose was right next to Urd, caught the scent of a burning rope.

* * *

An angry snarl destroyed the silence of the lower levels of the castle, and in the darkness that permeated the lower forms, six pair of eyes glowed a haunting red. The noise echoed throughout the corridors, and then nothing but silence once more. The hunters continued in silence, feeling out their environment with what their senses provided them.

Though only one spoke in a snarl, still they communicated with one another, and now one pair of eyes paused, the others around it following its lead and coming to a halt. They looked to Hild for instruction, waiting for the reason behind why it was she'd stopped in their hunt.

A short wave of the hand was a motion that exclaimed a desire to stay, and the Goetia watched their leader move to one of the walls, dark and fleshy, almost as if it were organic; so close they were to to Niflhiem's center, to Nidhogg, entwined within the roots of the Heaven's world tree, Yggdrasil, and gnawing at it's roots in the hopes of extracting some of its precious nutrients for the denizens that relied so heavily on it. The woman rested a hand on the wall, and in that moment the demons knew she was gone, spirit leaving her body and traversing inside the flesh that was more Nidhogg than castle. They felt something pass them by in a rush, and Hild returned to her body once more, whatever she'd been searching for, whatever she'd tried to accomplish, fulfilled.

The Daimakaicho removed her hand from the wall, cradling the limb from view, and as she returned to them she wore a large smile on her face as she displayed her prize to her men. It was small and long, it's flesh the pale white of a beast that lacked pigmentation, and where eyes should have been, feelers had long ago replaced. It's head consisted of one large mouth, grinning it's human-teeth and crawling across Hild's hand on it's many-legs. With a thumb, Hild gently stoked the creature's back, her eyes sparkling in a manner that one could only wonder at as they simultaneously glowed, and her smile seemed to mirror that of the creature nestled in her hands.

"We have worms." She said.

* * *

It was common knowledge that trees held bugs within it's bark. Bugs that burrowed deep into the core of the tree and bugs that rested on it's branches devouring it's leaves. Yggdrasil was no different, be it in the fact that it was the World Tree or the Heavens primary computer network system. No matter how one looked to it, the fact remained that the tree had bugs. (It is safe to note that humans had been using these bugs to their advantage for years now without realizing it. Swarms of locusts, rivers of blood, death of the first born, crossings of worlds, psychics, prophets, politics, etc...) And while the gods that looked after the tree and ran it's systems did their best to rid their tree of those bugs, it is also said that not even the Almighty Himself could rid the tree of the pests, no more then could he rid himself of the dragon-serpent that laid coiled in it's roots, gnawing away and absorbing a good portion of the poor plant's nutrients.

This was a well-known fact.

What was not a well-known fact was the fact that said dragon-serpent that rests coiled in the roots of the World Tree had it's own little pests resting inside it's gullet, however while the Heavens had gone about recognizing them for the parasites that destroyed their World Tree, their demonic brethren, being the resourceful creatures they were (out of necessity, not desire) had found a way to use the creatures to their advantage.

For like many animals, wild or tame, Nidhogg had worms.

And like any of their Material-bound kin, they caused damage to the creature they resided in, however the affects had less of an impact on the Assiah as did the bugs of Yggdrasil and more of an affect of Niflhiem's demons. Nidhogg was used for many things, only a small portion of which was devoted to tracing potential candidates for contracts. Nidhogg also helped maintain a survivable environment that was the heat of Muspell, the cold of Jotenhiem, and so many other little things the demons took for granted.

Very few demons were privy to just how intertwined Nidhogg was with their world, and Hild was one of those few. And it was the clever Daimakaicho who came up with a solution to the thieving worms that stole so much from Nidhogg, from Niflhiem, and risked such a hidden danger to her people. A bit of encouragement here, a little taste there, and the problem resolved itself in the form of cannibalism.

These were a special breed of worms, bred by Hild herself with a little bit of trial and error, and released within Nidhogg once perfected. These were worms with no taste for the dragon-serpent, more a taste for anything else they could get their jaws around.

Most of the time it was another worm.

But every now and then, the new breed of scavengers found something else to wet their pallet.

And while the little worm in Hild's hands had no taste for the demon that held it-too much did it smell like the very monster it lived within-the same could not be for those less fortunate enough to find themselves wandering so close to the heart of Nidhogg, ignorant of an enemy gone unseen and only aware of the demons on their trail.

All except one, who smiled and motioned to one as best her bound wrists could, the beast following at a distance, chattering like a squirrel as it crawled after them.

It was Koka who first took note that something was not quite right.

The wounded man frowned, tapping Mada on the shoulder and gaining the woman's ire. "Mada, do you here something?" His voice was low and cautious, making the woman pause in the retort she was about to grace his ears with.

Instead, wishing fervently that Koka's ears were playing tricks on him, Mada listened as well, hearing the soft steps of footfalls and the rustle of cloth and armor. The usual sounds that had followed the group since descending to the lower levels-noise that only they produced, for there was nothing else down here with them.

And yet...under the racket, so soft she had to strain her ears or assume her own senses were playing tricks on her, there _was_ something else. A scratching, like the claws of animals on soil. Coming from their left. Coming from their right. The woman slowed, the red hair on the back of her neck rising in alarm before Mada moved to grab Kali's arm.

The fiery demon moved to hiss something in their leader's ear, and then Kali too paused, his expression tight and foreboding as he instead scanned the surrounding area. The entire group at a halt and silent now, the scratching was more audible, and suddenly the lead demon lashed out, smashing his fist into the easternmost wall and smiling victoriously as a squabbling met his ears.

"What is it?" Mada approached in curiosity, brows furrowed together as heated red eyes sought to make out the little creature pinned under Kali's hand.

Whatever it was squirmed and writhed underneath the limb, a small head consisting of nothing but teeth gnashing it's jaws in a vain attempt to bite the limb, while a multitude of small, stubby limbs sought out a grip on his larger digits. Kali didn't respond at first, instead increasing the pressure on the creature's body to the point where Mada heard a _snap_, and the beast fell limp in against the wall. Dead, Kali released his grip around it, and the little creature fell to the ground.

"A worm." Kali responded, wiping his hands on his pants leg, a sneer of disgust on his face before he spat on the worm's body. "Nothing but a scavenging parasite." The dark man looked to the remainder of his people, his expression grown grim. "Come. We'd best hurry out of this area. There is never simply _one_ worm in any location, and I'd rather not be around when they decide to feast on their dead."

Soft murmurs of agreement met his ears and as Kali turned to continue down their only path, another voice, one that was too young to be from any one of his men, filled the darkness.

"It's a little to late for that."

As one the group turned to Vikoka, who looked to the child slung across his shoulder. The air smelled faintly of smoke and ash, and Urd pushed herself up against the youth's shoulder, eyes an ethereal red glow that illuminated her face minutely in the darkness. The little girl smiled at them from where she'd turned to regard the rebels, and before Vikoka could make any move to get the little captive under control again, the man screamed.

Smoke wafted up from the area Urd's hands had grabbed him, and in pain the twin threw the silver-haired child from his body. The dark child hit the ground with a grunt as Vikoka moved to nurse new burns, metal on several layers of clothes melding together and into the seared flesh beneath. Koka, no doubt feeling his sibling's phantom pains to go along with his wounded eye, ran to his twin's aid.

Taking advantage of the chaos that consumed half the group that had captured her, Urd crawled on her elbows to one of the walls, moving to lean against it and into a better position that would allow her to burn away the bindings around her legs. The bronze child was only partially successful on that venture, a light smoke rising from the rope binds before Kali was upon her, grabbing the girl by the arm and yanking her none-too-gently into the air.

Urd hung there, a scream equal parts pain and rage parting her lungs as she dangled in the large man's grasp, swinging and swiping at him with attacks that never touched his form. "And just what..." Kali growled, bringing Urd eye-level with himself. "...do you mean by that?"

Urd snarled angrily at him, and from behind her, the answer to his question arose.

The worm was larger then the little beast Kali had smashed between the wall and his hand. Though it's form was more ethereal than physical, it's height still installed more than a little fear in the ones who observed it. The worm came to a halt in front of Kali, raising half it's body into the air and giving the man a view of it's scaled underbelly. Though only half it's body was raised, it stood taller than Mada, who took one look at the monstrosity and baulked from where she'd moved to aid Kali in an attack.

A multitude of stubbly legs ending in three pronged toes waved and twitched in the air, and the thing hungrily gnashed its teeth at Kali, it's intentions obvious even before it lunged to bite the larger man. Kali yelped at the lunge, dropping Urd to the ground and stumbling out of the thing's striking range. Curses filled the air as, ignoring Urd completely, the beast not so much crawled as slithered after the demon, continuing it's chattering gnashing of teeth as Urd remained forgotten, the group of four suddenly preoccupied with the rather large beast that had decided their leader looked like a rather fine meal.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the child applied her magic to her bindings once more, smiling in victory as fire took to the rope and promptly began devouring it, leaving her free once more.

_Now. Now is the time. Now we strike!_ The voice from before whispered in her mind, and Urd nodded in agreement, her body itching pleasantly as the voice that had arisen with the green light that had gone through her directed her on what to do.

Leaving the rebels to fight off the worm, Urd moved to press herself against one of the walls, feeling warm flesh against her skin and heat on her back. _Nidhogg will help us._ The voice said, and as it did, across from her on the other wall, an eye, large and slit and violet, opened to observe the child. A rumble shook the entire hallway rebels, child, and worm resided in, and something warm wrapped around Urd's hand, gently enveloping her as she looked to find her arm sinking into the wall.

A yelp of panic escaped her throat, and the bronze child looked back to the eye, regarding her silently as more of the limb was sucked into the wall. Suddenly this didn't seem like such a good idea, and with a scream Urd pulled away from the wall, fighting to free her arm only to look back and see a hole open up around the limb, a thick, fleshy lump that reminded Urd very much like a tongue wrapped around her arm and pulling her towards the hole, whose edges were serrated and reminded the child of teeth.

_Nidhogg will help us._ The voice once more reassured, and the tongue gave one final pull that yanked her into the hole, and with one final parting scream, Urd was gone.

* * *

"Shit, Urd!" Mada shouted, hearing the child's screams and turning just in time to witness the wall swallow the girl whole. "Kali! Urd is-"

Kali cut her off. "Never mind the girl now! We have more important things to worry about!" The demon let loose an angry shout of command, and from beneath the worm's many feet the ground erupted in a rage, rock and stone and soil smashing into the creature's body even as the twins went about their own assault on the beast from behind, attacking with sword and knife and sharp daggers of magic that bit into the beasts thick hide.

Mada hesitated for the briefest of moments, torn between the child that was to be their ticket to freedom and the monster that might destroy them all right then and there, before turning away from the wall Urd had disappeared into and turning her focus to the worm. The twins had made it bleed with their blades, and now the red liquid flowed heavily from the wounds, giving the beast red stripes as it gnashed it's teeth in rage. Her palm raised to the heavens, Mada thrust her hand up over her head, clamping the open palm into a fist that ignited the beast in a bath of flames.

However the monster was nothing if not fire-retardant, having dwelled so long in the heat of Nidhogg's flames. And so instead it left the worm in a blanket of fire, one that decided then was a good time to try and munch on Kali once more. It reigned up higher above the rebel leader, resting on it's final pair of legs and tail and towering over the man like a cobra readying to strike. It's mouth hung open, and the beast dived at Kali, faster then the man would have thought possible with it's size and bulk.

"Kali!" Mada raced towards the man, relieved to find him still in one piece, fallen to the ground and a crater in front of his feet enveloping the worm's smoldering head. Carefully, the creature reared it's grinning head out of the hole, and a hiss escaped it's parted jaw. From behind the twins raced towards it again, readying another volley of attacks, only for the worm's tail to strike them before either had time to react, throwing them into a near-by wall (the wall that ate Urd, Mada reminded herself) and leaving the duo in a daze.

Mada let out a string of curses at the beast before rushing to wrap her hands around one of Kali's arm's, dragging the man up and away from the creature before it had a chance to strike once more. With the redhead's help, Kali stumbled to his feet, and together the duo ran a short distance from the beast, it's clicking teeth continuously growing near as it followed after them.

Kali readied another magical attack in his hand while Mada drew one of the daggers stored on her uniform. As one they turned, ready to fling their respective attacks at their opponent, only to be beaten to it as something-_something_-descended from the ceiling.

Whatever it was pierced the worm straight through the head, where a fine geyser of red erupted from the top of the beast's forehead and down through it's lower jaw. The creature looked to have been speared by a pike or a spear of some sort, and it twisted and writhed in death throws as it sought to free itself from the pole. Yet the pole-bearer's grip remained firm, and slowly the duo watched the animal's writhes diminish before ceasing altogether, leaving the worm dead and motionless on the pole.

Kali and Mada watched the pole slowly retract from the body, receding into the darkness of the ceiling once more. And then Kali saw it; a darkness against the ceiling's darkness, a deep and full black hole that reminded Kali of some of the teleportation gates used to traverse from one realm to another.

Something was emerging from it.

It's feathers were a glossy black, reflecting a dark violet in whatever light, be it natural or artificial, illuminated the hallway. Four-pronged talons were a shiny black against the gray fur that coated it's body, melding with the white scales that adorned it's belly. An elongated snout curved into a vicious raptor's beak, and as it parted, Kali could see the many needle-tipped teeth that lined the inside. Vibrant red stripes of a glowing red decorated it's head in warpaint, clashing against the two pairs of black wings that sprouted along it's back. It had no eyes.

The avatar crawled slowly out of the hole, falling and twisting in the air and landing on it's feet like some hideous cat. It tucked it's wings tightly against it's body before it's large head swayed first one way, then another, seeming to take in the surrounding area.

It's body took up half the hallway.

The monstrosity seemed to notice the corpse first, maneuvering around the dead worm carefully and sluggishly, as though it were a fledgling naught yet used to it's legs. It's long head nudged the dead creature; once, twice, and then it lapped at the cooling blood that coated the animal's pale skin before pulling back with a sneeze.

Neither Kali nor Mada dared move.

It didn't take a genius for either demon to know what it was they were staring at, and if a dead worm kept the avatar of who knew _what_ demon that roamed around these dark hallways preoccupied, than neither one was about to make the move that would draw it's attention towards themselves.

Unfortunately the corpse only kept the new beast entertained for so long, and after toying with it for a brief moment, the creature seemed to loose interest, the avatar tilting it's head back in a shriek, fur bristling and feathers rising dangerously, and without even realizing what they were doing, the two rebels were off, leaving behind the twins as panic born of the instinct of self-preservation sized their minds.

And the avatar followed right behind them.

* * *

The shriek was loud and noisy and closer then any of the demon would have thought. As one, the unit paused in their hunt, listening to a scream naught one of them recognized, many of whom frowned upon realizing it. "Daimakaicho?" Bifrons asked, the pale demon's voice soft and uncertain as the shriek departed. "Is that...do we have Slayers down here?"

Yet Hild did not respond. Instead the woman began to run, leaving little option for her men but to follow after her in a sprint of their own. Amon bounded ahead of the demon on his four legs, and Phenex, being of the more lithe in body, found himself running at Hild's side. "Daimakaicho?" He questioned, and one violet eye darted to him, hued in a deadly glow and holding a look that made the hair on Phenex's neck stand on end. And the woman laughed at his reaction, as though seeing his stiff standing hair and finding pleasure in the intimidation she gave him, and then she spoke.

"Come, children!" She cackled. "Lest this new hunter steal the prey from beneath out noses! The true hunt begins _now_!" Her voice rose up in a howl at her final words, one that Amon echoed ahead of them all in a howl that shook with the rattle on his tail. And with her howl, little bits and pieces of her changed, and Phenex watched as something not quite human, yet not quite beast came to run beside him; something with claws and talons, skin and feathers and scales, and yet somehow undeniably Hild that at once the man saw both Woman and Beast.

The flame-haired demon laughed then, sensing the foxes near and finding his own body responding as well, dreadlocks smoothing down the back of his head into plumage, feathers of a similar shade of red sprouting from his body. Bones cracked and flesh itched, and the phoenix leaped into the air, gliding on the heated air of it's own body and letting loose a shriek of his own. From somewhere behind him, a bull-man responded in a bellow, a monster laughed a human's laugh, and the responding shrieks of too-many different birds erupted from a living star.

The Hunters were loose, the prey was close, and nothing was going to stop them from obtaining their foxes.

Mada chucked a throwing knife at the avatar, pausing only for a brief moment to turn and hurl the blade at their pursuer. A wing folded over the creature's front, and the dagger bounced off the dark feathers, echoing with the clang of metal on rock. The woman turned and ran faster, passing Kali and encouraging him to do the same.

The knife didn't even slow it down.

They followed the curve of the large hallway, two pairs of eyes desperately searching for a path to escape the beast, and finding nothing but dark walls to organic to be called 'walls' anymore on either side. Somewhere along the way, an illumination in the form of long runic characters had started to appear, and sensing a change in scenery, the duo caught their second wind, moving faster then their legs could carry them and into a light that steadily grew brighter.

And yet...

What they found at the source of that light would be what ended their long journey.

* * *

The wolf's snout was inches from Koka's neck. The lips peeled back in a snarl, and the young man could feel the beast's hot breath as it growled at him. Koka closed his eyes again and pressed himself further against the wall. This wasn't happening. This _couldn't_ be happening. It was a dream. Some bad, horrible dream Vikoka and himself were sharing, and any moment now the two of they were going to wake up in their respective rooms, safe in their living quarters. There wouldn't be any plans to overthrow the queen of hell, they wouldn't be in the bowls of her castle, their lives hanging by her whim right in front of their eyes. Koka wouldn't have lost an eye to a child and Vikoka wouldn't have burns scalding his back and shoulders. Any minute they were going to wake up.

Any minute...

Something moved to grasp his throat, and Koka let out a strangled gasp, eyes bulging as he looked to the monstrous entity choking him. It's muzzle parted, and the creature panted in his face. _This is no dream, Boy._ It spoke in his mind. The pressure on his throat tightened, and his vision grew hazy, the youth's sight wavering between the monster in his face and a tall, pale man. The dark-haired rebel managed to choke out one word, and then his body relaxed, settling down into the realms of unconsciousness.

At his side, Vikoka sputtered out a curse, his face darkening in a mask of rage as he snarled at the bull-man. "Bless you to the highest heavens, you bastards." The green eyed youth hissed, all too aware of the meaty hand wrapped around his own throat. "Don't you dare harm Koka, or I swear to the Almighty, I'll fucking kill you." The youth kicked and struggled against the avatar's hold like a mad dog, fighting to escape the minotaur-like creature despite the futility of it, thinking only of Koka's and his own safety.

Only a snort escaped the avatar, and suddenly Vikoka's neck was wrung forward as the hand grasping his throat pulled to the beast. And stars exploded in his vision as just as quickly he was forced against the wall, head and neck colliding with the back and something wet trickling down his flesh. And as his vision darkened, one thought and one thought alone filled his mind.

Kali had abandoned them.

* * *

She'd left Bifrons and Zagan with the rebel twins.

The two were little more then children they were so young, not even out of their teens. Really, only one needed to stay behind, she reasoned, but two would make it easier to manage without a fear of further rebellion.

Experience had taught her just how creative a child's mind could be, after all.

And now, passing a corpse and catching scent of something as foreign as it was familiar in the air, Hild smiled. Coming from the form the woman had wrapped herself around, the action came as little more then a baring of teeth, and a deep hiss escaped its throat as the avatar loped on. Ahead of her, Amon loped onwards at a steady gate, easily keeping in front of the pack of demons with little signs of tiring any time soon. To her left, Phenex flew above her shoulder, a human-sized falcon dressed in feathers a vibrant, fiery red, a crown of plumage erupting from his head like sparks. On her right, Decarabia hovered, a living star-a starfish-with a dark red front and a dark gray back that blended well with the shadows. In the center of his front, a single gray eye observed the world.

Decarabia paused, a sound of many a bird erupting from the avatar from an invisible source. Hild slowed a fraction to listen to the star, and her next baring of teeth was not in joy but in rage. The creature released a shriek-howl, and before her fellows could translate the meaning of the noise, Hild's pace increased, claws and talons digging furrows into the ground beneath her feet as the creature sought further traction, propelling her farther and faster towards the end of their hunt.

To the gates of Nidhogg itself.

They were trapped. Trapped like little rats in a maze, like little foxes with no dens, a bloodhound on their tail and the hunters at their back. In front of them, a gate loomed, large and tall and foreboding, reaching up into the darkness where it vanished, merging with the walls on either side it was connected to. It's front was adorned with runes and sigils and mandalas that glowed intensely with a white light, illuminating the corridor and painting the area in a haunting glow.

"No..." Kali slowed, hands reaching out and pushing at the gate with all his might, sensing Mada at his side and knowing the woman was doing the same, searching and seeking anything that might allow them entrance to the sanctuary beyond, where surely freedom awaited and an escape from the beasts that hunted them laid in waiting. Yet nothing revealed itself as a clue to freedom. Nothing but a gate that felt warm and hot and pulsed with a life of its own, whose seals glowed white and felt white-hot to the touch, and for which they knew, deep down, would not open for two such as them but only for a very certain set of persons.

They'd lost one of them.

The other was hunting them.

Cornered, Kali looked to Mada, seeing the very emotions on her face that he felt boiling in his chest; fear, rage, despair, and so many more colorful emotions he could not even begin to name. From somewhere farther down the hallway, past their current pursuer, who'd gone from chasing to stalking with their arrival at the gate, a shriek-howl reverberated through the corridor, echoing of walls and making his ears ring painfully.

And then something else dawned in Mada's face, and that was one of a grim acceptance; the acceptance of a mouse who'd been cornered by a cat and knew it's only option left was to fight back. Not to escape, no, for it knew, looking into those golden eyes, that it's life had ended right then and there. No, rather to fight back in the hopes of ending the pain quickly, to steal the joy of a cat playing with it's food and to perhaps take a large bite of cat with it before the cat killed the mouse.

Kali grimaced, knowing she was right and turning from the gate to face their cat with her. Even if they did manage to defeat the beast, there was still a pack of the creatures on their trail. There was a wall at their back an no other way to go but through those beasts, and the child that was to have been their ace in the sleeve was gone, devoured and gone, perhaps to her mother once more, perhaps simply devoured by whatever forces dwelled down here in the dark.

There was nothing left but to cause as much damage as possible before their lives came to an end.

Mada drew the uniform sword that had been part of her disguise into the castle. The redhead passed it to Kali, bathed in the flames of a hellfire, before muttering under her breath, drawing characters in the air that glittered an orange-red in the light of the gate. The beast slunk towards them, no long running, no longer needing to run with them cornered as they were, and it bared its teeth in hunter's grin with a low growl.

A distance from them, it stooped its body low to the ground, muscles coiled tightly as Mada chanted, and the beast lunged, talons outstretched and reaching for Kali with an angry roar. Mada's hands clapped together with a shout, however, and at the apex of it's lunge gravity appeared in the form of golden-linked chain, wrapping around the beast's limbs and pulling it to the ground with an angry rattle and hiss.

The creature grunted as it landed ungracefully on it's stomach, it's limbs sprawled out around it's body as the chains vanished. The advantage with the rebels, Kali charged the avatar, flaming sword raised and a war cry in his throat, bringing his weapon down upon the creature's neck. There was a clang as one feathered wing rose to shield it and the smell of burning feathers, and a four-pronged paw darted to wrap around the blade, wrenching the weapon from Kali's hands and snapping the burning steel in two.

Destroyed, the flame died from the sword as it fell from the avatar's grasp, the two pieces hitting the ground with a metal _clang_ that seemed to echo in the hallway. Cursing loudly, Kali retreated before another taloned hand could grab him, sputtering out an elemental spell that caused the earth the creature rested upon to explode beneath it's body. There was an angry shriek from the monster, and Kali's smile of relief looked more like a grimace as the man retreated, even as Mada moved in for her own attack.

Dust and debris rose from the earthen attack, and as Mada moved in, a spear of her own element in both hands, once more a hand shot from the obscurity, reaching for Mada with talons ready to plunge into her body. The fiery woman acted quickly; her weapon descending in front of her and spearing the large paw before it could touch her.

Another scream, this one as much rage as pain, descended upon the ears of all present, yet rather than withdraw as Mada hoped, the punctured appendage pushed on, the spear puncturing _through_ the hand and out the other end, the spearhead dark and dripping red. Vibrant red eyes widened in horror at the sight, and the woman's arms trembled as, now impaled on the spear pole, the large paw pushed onwards, rushing to her faster then Mada had time to react.

The limb collided with Mada's body, and the demon screamed as the creature's five talons burrowed into her torso, easily puncturing through armor and leather and to the soft flesh below. The dust clearing, the avatar emerged from debris, a deep growl reverberating from within it's throat as it shoved Mada to the ground, resting it's weight upon the woman's chest. Mada's cries grew into a weak gurgle then; blood from punctured organs filling her throat even as the pressure from the beast made it near impossible to draw breath for another scream.

Pinned to the ground, the creature's massive head moved to hover above Mada, it's jaw parting and panting heavily above her. Her vision darkening with each passing second, Mada saw little besides the beast, heard little outside its pants and growls. Yet it made no move to end her life. Rather, instead it's large head, so close she could smell it's breath and feel it's warmth, moved to wrap around her spear, using it's massive jaws to pluck the remainder of the pole from within it's hand as though it were little more then a thorn. It snapped the weapon in it's jaws much as it did the sword, then 'looked', if the thing had eyes, down at her once more.

And then she saw it.

Only to watch it vanish behind fur and flesh, feather and scale once more as Kali's body collided with the beast, a roar of rage that would have scared a Valkyrie tearing from his throat and hands burning with an unnatural blue flame. The hands buried deep under the gray fur that covered it's body and disappearing from sight. Kali screamed once more, and the fur and feathers around his hands seemed to explode in a blue flame, knocking the avatar to the ground and releasing Mada from it's hold.

In a bloodrage that made his own eyes glow much the same red of their pursuers, Kali advanced on the fallen creature, which writhed and screamed in pain. Smoke rose from it's wound and the corridor rose with the sickening smell of burning flesh and charred fur. Weakly, Mada called out to him, to warn him, to get his attention, _something_ that would make the man stop. However her actions were all in vain, Kali too focused on the beast in front of him to notice the injured demon that was his ally.

In front of him, the avatar screamed and cried, rolling to it's feet once more on legs that trembled and snapping and hissing at the man. It backed away from him, as though afraid of the demon, and with each step back Kali felt his confidence rise, until a smile wormed it's way along his face. "These are the warriors of old?" He whispered to himself. "The very demons who devoured the flesh of our enemies?" His laughter was hysteric and half-mad. "How can this be? We're _beating_ you. How could you be one of the warriors that even the ones you protect fear so greatly? The blue flame appeared in his hands again, and somewhere behind the man Kali heard Mada moan in agony. It only seemed to instigate the man into a further rage.

"I'll end you right here and now, monster!" He howled, charging the demonic entity, readying to bury his hands once more in the monster's flesh and-

"_Don't touch me!"_

Urd's voice echoed in the form of the avatar's howl, and Kali found himself sailing backwards, the blue of his hands vanquished by a cry so loud that Kali feared he might go deaf. The demon hit the gate that had blocked his escape from earlier with enough force to knock the wind from his lungs, and with eyes speckled with stars, he looked to the beast.

Urd, her left hand bloodied and a charred hole in her right side, stared back, violet eyes wide with fear and pain. Kali blinked, and the child was gone, leaving nothing but an avatar in her place.

And suddenly Kali understood.

This was no legendary monster he fought, who'd tasted the lives of its greatest enemies on a battlefield before time was ever recorded. This was no warrior who could rend and slaughter even its own people if the need called for it. This was a child, born of a true demon's flesh and somehow molded into one of the very forms so many creatures, be they divine, damned, or something in-between feared so greatly.

A beast which, at that very moment, stood firmly on it's four legs, it's jaws parted so far apart from each other that they were reminiscent of a snake's unhinged jaws. It screamed, it's body puffed up and large, wings extended as far as they could go before brushing the walls, an animal, a child, trying to appear greater and frightening in the face of an even scarier enemy.

"Urd..." His voice came out softly, almost spoken in awe, yet the creature that was Urd had no ears for him, and with Kali pressed firmly against the wall from it's auditory attack, the beast lunged once more, and the demon knew instinctively that the monster-child meant to end him.

The dark-haired man swore an oath once more, diving and rolling underneath the creature as it sailed above his head, coming to his hands and knees a short distance from where the avatar had initially lunged. His opponent hit the gate talons first, and to his surprise stuck there, it's hind legs coming to grasp the material of the gate in much the same manner as its forepaws, leaving the beast hanging vertically from the gate wall.

It shrieked it's rage at him, and Kali bared his teeth in a snarl of his own, more relieved then anything else to have gotten out of the monster's war path.

And at that time, the avatar's talons sinking deeply into the flesh-like organic gate, that things took a change for the worst. The lights of the wards placed upon the gate began to pulse with a beat like a heart, and the ground began to rumble as though the earth itself growled with the child locked in the form of a beast. Yet it's rumble was deep and foreboding, and the avatar turned it's attention away from Kali and to the world that surrounded them both, shrieking as it's head swerved from side to side, seeking out the source of the miniature earthquake.

Kali seemed to have a rather good idea of what it was, and eyes wide he stared at the gate, watching as first one ward grew bright before vanishing, then another, and another. All throughout the large gate the many wards that barred outsiders from its entrance were closing, the light they produced vanishing, until finally Kali saw nothing but darkness, the only light produced being the glowing red of war sigils from the avatar that was Urd.

A deafening silence, so quiet that not even the beast dared to make a sound, not even Mada, injured as she was, dared to so much as breath lest her gasps break the silence.

And then light.

It was a thin sliver of light, straight down the center of the gate, one that widened and thickened as a low moan came from sources unseen. It was enough of a start to drop the beast from it's position against the gate, where it toppled to the ground and rolled a short distance in an ungraceful heap.

Yet Kali paid the creature no mind, too caught in the silver web of light that slowly spread to fill the corridor. The light spread, and with it, a figure emerged from within, though had anyone asked him what It was, Kali would have been unable to tell them. It beckoned to him with open arms, and mesmerized, he responded, and nothing moved to halt his advance

Not a beast who was actually a child, watching with it's not-eyes as It called to the man.

Not an injured demon woman, who's vision was in the gray area of life and death, and who saw It for what she knew Kali saw, yet in her state also saw It for what it truly was, and though she called to him, Kali did not hear her.

And so it was he entered, not at a run for desperation but at a walk, calm and deliberate, into the confines of the room.

In her blurring vision, leaning more and more into the darkness that held either death or unconsciousness, Mada watched Kali depart, somehow knowing deep down in her soul that it would be the last time she ever laid eyes on the demon alive.

Yet in her last waking moments, she watched also as the child that was both demon and avatar rolled to her feet.

She watched Urd chase after Kali, the gate closing behind the child.

And in the oncoming darkness, Mada knew no more.

* * *

_Well? Is she alive?_ The thought's source was from Hild, yet it filled the mind of the others as if it were their own thought. Amon sniffed the body as Phenex approached the woman, waddling on taloned feet not meant for walking and tilting his crowned head to one side in curiosity. He pecked at her shoulder, an area clear of the blood that pooled around to fiery-haired woman's body.

_Looks dead to me._

Decarabia floated over to the bird, twirling and sending his eye into a spiraling one-eighty that made Phenex dizzy just watching him. _Bird-brain. _The star insulted. _Do you really expect to check the woman for life in a body that doesn't even know the difference between life and death?_ The bird cocked its head expectantly at the floating star, and an angry twittering of birds emerged from somewhere around it's body. _Change back, idiot!_

The bird's feathers rustled discouragingly, and the raptor squawked something that went over Hild's head, having never bothered to learn the language of birds as her two companions had, before shifting out of the phoenix and into the demon once more. Another angry flock of birds insulted the dreadlocks-adorned man from somewhere behind Decarabia, and as Amon panted in laughter Phenex sent the star a dirty look.

Looking ready to respond in turn to the insult, Hild interrupted with a well-placed growl that promised a pain much greater then whatever it was that had all but destroyed the woman at their feet, and Phenex quickly stooped down to check for a life-pulse. A surprised and delighted smile lit the man's face up like a beacon as he found a faint throb against his dark fingers, and the man turned his smile to the Daimakaicho, sending her a thumbs up. "A-okay, Boss!" He chirped. "Looks like Little Rebel Girl will live to fight another day!"

Had it been possible, Decarabia would have rolled his eye at the darker man, so instead he twirled in the air again, taking delight as the slightly nauseous face that always fell upon the fire bird's face whenever he did it. _Well, don't you think you should bandage her wounds then? She's no use to us if she bleeds out on us._

Phenex scowled at the star, and opened his mouth to argue when Hild interrupted once more. _All three of you will care for her._ Paying no mind to the three demons in her company, the avatar that was Hild moved onwards, coming to a halt in front of the large gate at its end. Gently, a great taloned hand, large enough to easily engulf a human's body, rested against the entrance. The wards, newly appeared, began to flash and pulse once more before resigning themselves to darkness for the second time that day. _From this point on, I go alone._

"Boss?"

_Daimakaicho?_

A low rumble, and slowly the gate opened itself once again. This time, nothing was there to beckon her inside. _You two will stay with the woman. Rendezvous with the others if the opportunity presents itself, but do not follow me inside._ There was an added growl for emphasis here, yet still the two demons looked to their leader in concern.

_What happens next is a meeting of beasts._ And she was gone, the gate closing behind her and the wards reigniting, destroying the option to follow even had Phenex and Decarabia thought to disobey Hild's orders.

Amon sneezed, and the duo looked to the wolf-snake. _Well, you heard the Lady._ He growled, his form already shifting into something else. "Let's care for the wench." He was a man with skin darker then the walls that surrounded them, his hair and equal shade of black with gray eyes that looked white against his dark face.

Decarabia approached, his form melding into that of an old man once more. "And then what?" He asked. "After she's been cared for, after we rendezvous with the rest of our people, then what do we do?"

The dark man smiled, a jaw that looked more at home in a canine's maw then a human's displaying shiny white teeth. "Then we wait. We wait for them to return."

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Behold! An update! Fun fact-I couldn't stand writing this chapter. Nothing came out the way it was supposed to, and I felt like banging my head against a wall through most of it. But look! Monsters! Everyone loves monsters, right? So that should make up for a somewhat crappy chapter._


	12. Nidhogg

_Origins 12_

* * *

_There is a great serpent that rests entwined with the roots of the tree of life. It gnaws on the roots, for there is nothing else it can eat beneath the tree, and it sends messages up the tree to to the eagle that rests in the top of the tree of life's branches. Serpent and Eagle exchange words and insults daily, using Squirrel, who dens in the tree's trunk, as a messenger._

_Eagle tells Squirrel, 'Go tell Serpent to stop gnawing on the tree of life! My tree grows weaker by the day because it steals the nutrients from its roots, and if it continues, my tree will die!' And Squirrel, he runs down the trunk of that tree faster then lightning, and he meets with Serpent and delivers Eagle's message._

_Now, Serpent, she's always hungry because Eagle steals of the good fruit from the tree of life for his chicks, and so she's got nothing she can do but bite and gnaw at the bark, which tastes bad and leaves her mouth raw and cramps in her stomach. And so she tells Squirrel, 'Well you can tell that old bird to shove it, for all I care. Tell him that maybe if he shared the fruit of the tree, just let one or two ripe pieces drop down to the roots, I might take a break from gnawing these tasteless old roots and enjoy a meal that fills me up good.'_

_Well, now, Eagle, he hears of this from Squirrel, and he huffs his chest up all mighty-like. 'Serpent, you are a fool if you think I will fall for your tricks. If you eat one piece you will demand more, and then there will be no food for my chicks! You would grow strong on the fruit and climb the tree, and then, as my chicks go hungry, you would sneak upon their resting bodies and eat them whole!'_

_Serpent furiously denies Eagle's claims when word returns to her, and angry when still no fruit is dropped, she vows, 'Fine, Eagle can keep his fruit. I shall eat the tree of life's roots until there is nothing left. I will grow strong on it's roots though they leave me hungry for more, and when the tree dies, I shall climb it, and I shall find and eat all your children, Eagle!'_

_And so they continue their quarrel, with Squirrel continuing his duty as messenger, growing neither swore nor tired, but wary with every passing day. For there are times, he tells people, that when he's down there in the roots, listening to Serpent, she gets a look in her eye that makes him nervous, and he's waiting for the day where there will be no more messages, for there will be no more squirrels to deliver them._

_-From the Chronicles of Anansi, the Storykeeper._

* * *

_It was bright inside the room; a world within a world, one that stretched for endless miles all around her. She heard the gate close behind her and knew, should she choose to look back, that she would find nothing to mark an entrance or exit to the realm. She was in Nidhogg's territory now, and it would be on Nidhogg's will that she would leave and none other._

_She looked to her side, unsurprised to see what had been her avatar standing beside her. The creature regarded her silently, and she saw her reflection; a tall woman with dark skin and light hair, from within the violet orb that was the creature's eye. _

_As one they diverted their eyes from each other and as one they took their first steps in the world within a world, neither one leading or trailing despite the small size of the human-demon, despite the large size of the avatar-monster. They walked in step, and their thoughts were shared, leaving them as both woman and beast with one consciousness and two separate bodies._

_Such was Nidhogg's will, a feat only accomplished in this second world._

_In the distance, a tree, it's trunk large and towering, disappeared into the light of the world, ascending farther then her eyes could see. It was the only thing that could be seen in the landscape, for the rest of the world was bathed in a fine white mist that masked anything else from view. The mist twirled and danced in front of her, and images that might or might not have been real revealed themselves to her; three women, drawing water from a well near the very tree she ventured towards. A man-child, mortal and human, who regarded her with a kind smile. Demons she did not yet know, perhaps never would know, demons she did know, and demons she had known, whose existence was no longer. _

_Chaos and infinity, destruction and creation danced at her feet and kissed her cheeks, and she took it all in stride, taking care not to pay too much attention to any one vision. Such was the world within which Nidhogg resided in, resting entwined within the roots of Yggdrasil that made the air thick and sweet with visions of its nine worlds. For to pay too much attention to any one vision was to allow one to succumb to the madness of knowledge, and while she occasionally lapped at that water's tip, she knew better then to dive to deeply, lest she end up mad and raving like those of the heavens elite._

_A splash from somewhere in front of her, and then came the cool sensation of water against her bare feet, against her talons and claws, and she paused. Laughter and voices, from the youth of babes in their mothers arms to the old of the brittle and dying, echoed in her ears, laughing with one another, crying with each other, and calling out to her._

_For a brief, terrifying moment, one voice rose above the others and called her name, and in that terrible moment, she almost responded. _

_Yet she recalled where she was and silenced her voice before it could be given to the Others, and she watched as figures that weren't there bounded away from her, leaving her with a pain in her chest that winded her and left her feeling empty as they faded into the mist once more._

_No...she could not join them yet. The time had not come for her to leave her plain for theirs. Not with a child of her own still. Not with a throne that would remain empty should she leave. She steeled herself, counted to ten, and continued onwards towards the tree._

_It was closer now, the trunk, and in the ankle deep water of knowledge she continued, sloshing through it until it reached her calves, her thighs, her waist, and then wading through it even as it soaked the fur of her legs, dampening the thick outer coat of her belly and threatened to soak downy undercoat that kept her large body safe and warm._

_After a time, the water lessened, growing shallow once more as woman and beast grew closer to the roots that took nutrients from it, the air condensing into a thick, humid fog that covered everything it touched. Her hair clung to her neck and shoulders and perspiration coated her body and made her flesh shine. It clung to her fur and feathers, causing spikes of fur to stand on end and feathers to grow glossy and heavy with moisture, weighing her down and making it impossible to rise to the skies as was her nature._

_Here she saw the first root of the tree, larger then her by far, big enough to engulf a small town. It rose from the water at her feet, rising high into the air in greens and browns before disappearing once more into the fog, and as she grew closer she could make out holes and chips in it's bark from where something had gnawed away at it. Long furrows were deep, jagged ravines within the wood, dark with moisture and scorched by a flame from an unknown source._

_A hand, a paw, reached up to touch to wood of the Tree of Life, and she was on top of the root now, standing at it's apex where the air was thinner and easier to breath. She looked over the root and down, where below, something large and black slithered in the fog. Yet there were other things that needed her attention at that moment, and as Nidhogg made no move to meet her, she let the beast lay._

_Instead she shifted her gaze to the portion of the root in her vision, spotting something that did not belong against the horizon and making her way towards it. She did not know how far it was, nor how long she walked, for such things were irrelevant in Nidhogg's realm, and eventually she came to it, to him, for it was certainly a male._

_His hair was dark and his outfit foreign. Yet as he laid there before her, a demon whose face she did not know, she knew immediately who he was. His scent had long grown familiar to her, and she kneeled down to observe the man, whose name she knew was Kali and who now laid on the root as though dead. Yet his eyes were open and pupils darting, though they held the glaze of the mad, and his breath came in quick, short spasms._

_She rose to her feet once more and moved on. Deep within another world as she was, she held no authority nor did the rules of the Outer Worlds apply. There were no rules, be it of Niflhiem or the heavens, that could save the demon from the fate that awaited him in this new domain._

_He belonged to Nidhogg now._

_Further down the trunk she walked, and in the haze the sound of snarls met her ears. Growls and howls mingled with shrieks and screams, and as she walked farther the fog parted to reveal it's source. An avatar, small in comparison to herself and it's body and shape foreign to her, dove it's beak into the wailing devil beneath it's claws. Its head snapped up, glistening red with a chunk of dark flesh hanging from it's beak. She watched it consume the flesh before diving down for another bite, reigniting the death cries of the four-armed, red skinned creature that desperately tried to fend it off._

_She observed it for a long moment, a part of her tempted to join in the meal before reminding herself she was here for a reason, and that reason was not food. Ignoring the avatar and the devil, she moved farther down, reaching the area where the root began to descend once more into the shallow sea. _

_It was there she paused, wishing not to descend into the water once more, and there she waited, having seen the avatar and knowing the one connected to it would not be far removed. Behind her, the screams of the devil finally ceased, and after a while she sensed the alien creature move to join her. It regarded her two forms in curiosity, head tilted to one side and beak red with blood that had begun to cake._

_Slowly, timidly almost, it drew near the her that was beast, its wings folded tightly to its body and belly almost scraping the ground, and a soft cry exited its throat as it sought out her attention. She looked away from it and to herself, demon and avatar regarding each other in a contemplative silence before nodding lightly to one another. The part of her that was beast broke away then, approaching the smaller creature and nudging it with its own large head. The act knocked the little beast to its side, and it squawked a protest at its larger companion._

_No longer in cadence, she watched freely as the two beasts interacted, watching as the foreign avatar twined through and around the large beast's legs like some grand and terrifying kitten, and how her other half responded in kind. She could feel more of herself returning to the demon as she watched them, where another piece of her, that small piece she called Instinct, took over the beast's body, just as she knew it had for the small avatar gone wild. The two beasts laid down together, the smaller creature curled against the larger one's side, and her avatar began to groom the little creature._

_It was there she turned her attention away from them, now more herself, with one body and one mind, then when she'd first entered the realm. It was fine. It was good. She would need the demon to have the sane mind if what she suspected was true. For to have an avatar go wild was a reflection of the soul that housed it, which meant..._

_She jumped into the water with a splash, sloshing once more through the the cold water and seeing the great trunk of the world tree begin to take form in front of her. It's bark was thick and brown, large sections of the wood covered in the green of moss. It's trunk was a wall that stretched on for as long as her vision could carry her, and it was covered in deep furrows and the punctures of a large beast's fangs. The wood yellowed and blackened in those areas, looking sickly and withered from where Nidhogg had assaulted its wood. _

_And it was in one such furrow that she saw another, resting on a ledge, legs kicking the thick bark carelessly as the Other observed her. The person was naked, bare of clothes and jewelry and sigils, with skin the color of damp earth and a long, thick mane of white hair that hung wild and untamed down the Others' back. The person sat and watched, and for one grim moment she wondered if perhaps the haze that surrounded her was taking over, that the shades and visions that she told herself weren't real were growing more stable, that perhaps she was already lost and amongst the Others._

_There was a splash and gurgle of someone running through the water, and the thought left her as the one she sought revealed itself to her. The little girl froze as the child stumbled across her, clothes is tatters and shredded beyond any sort of repair. The lass was injured, she saw; a large singed hole rested in the right side of her shirt, and the flesh beneath was seared and badly burned. Her left hand was one giant crusted scab, and she could see various minor cuts and scratches covering her exposed skin. Yet they looked old to her; she could see unmarred skin around the burn from where it had begun to heal, and the area that encompassed the actual burn shone the light pink of fresh scar tissue, much as it did her hand, and grimly she wondered how much time had passed in Nidhogg's realm to have healed so much._

_Even for one of her blood, she reasoned, it would take a good long time to heal the amount of damage that looked to be gone without any medical treatment._

_Such seemed to be the case here, and as she stared at her child, the girl, Urd stared back. The youth's eyes were wild and cautious, giving the child a feral look that held no recognition of who she was. She took a step towards the girl, slowly and cautiously, and the child was off, turning and bolting like a scared rabbit. _

_She chased after the girl, the child's name a shout in her throat that received no response from the youth as they bounded and splashed through the water. The child was fast, leaping and bounding and turning and twisting away from her grasp, however she was faster, had more experience, and soon she grabbed the girl by the arm. Captured, she dragged the girl into an embrace, even as the child fought and cried against her, shoving, biting, kicking, desperate to escape her hold. Yet she did not budge, baring through the attacks quietly and letting her child exhaust herself. _

_The punches grew weaker, the bites less vicious, the kicking stopped and then the other attacks stopped too, until she held nothing but a trembling child to her, one who whimpered and cried, and in the shallow sea, she kneeled, resting her chin on her daughter's head and singing softly to her. She ran her hands through sliver locks and felt the trembling ease, felt the tension drain and the little body relax against her own. _

_And there, in the depths of a world within a world, ruled by a devourer and a tree of life, Hild relaxed as well. Her daughter was safe and sound in her arms once more and the threat of rebellious demons had been quelled. "Shh...you're alright, your okay.." The Daimakaicho soothed. "You're safe now..."_

_She felt Urd tilt her head to look up at her, and Hild looked down into familiar violet orbs, eyes that held an ancient look of one who'd seen things no child ever should, and the silver-haired woman recalled the phantoms and the shades, the visions and the voices, and wondered who, what her daughter had seen._

"_You were gone."_

_Amethyst eyes blinked at the revelation, and Hild tilted her head to one side. "I was, was I?" _

_Urd nodded, a soft frown that seemed out of place on her daughter's face as the child continued. "Yes. You and another. You were here, with me, and there were others." Her face scrunched up in displeasure, and the frown deepened. "I didn't know who they were though. One kind of looked like you, but you were also there with that person, so I know it wasn't you. There were a lot of screams and shouts, and Nidhogg was getting angry." Here the child paused, looking around warily as though expecting the beast to arise with the summoning of its name._

_When no such thing happened, the child continued. "We tried to get Nidhogg to calm down, me and the Others who live here, and when that didn't work we tried to warn you and the people you were with. But no one listened to us, and Nidhogg got so mad that..got so mad that..." The child began to tremble once more, and Hild soothed her as best she could._

"_Please! Promise you won't go away again!" The words came out in a choked sob, and Hild grimaced as she fought to calm her daughter down once more. _

"_Urd...calm down...I'm not going away for a good long while yet..." She whispered._

"Ah, but I did not hear a promise in those words, Lady Daimakaicho." _A voice, teasingly familiar, echoed around them. It was clear and feminine, holding an undertone of a growl that distinguished it for who and what Hild knew to be speaking. _"Does that mean you're going to disappear one day? Despite you offspring's cries?"

_Hild looked up, knowing from where it originated from and meeting the gaze of the woman in the tree. The Other smiled, revealing rows and rows of needle-teeth, before standing and leaping from the crevice she rested in. The stranger landed in the water on her hands and feet with a _splash_, and slowly rose to her feet once more before approaching mother and daughter._

_A soft whine escaped Urd's throat at the sight of the person, and Hild rested a hand gently on her child's head as the girl tried to burrow into her mother, as though trying to escape the stranger as much as possible without leaving the older woman's side. "Nidhogg..." _

_The woman paused at the name, looking down at Urd and smiling her needle-teeth at the child once more. Then she looked to Hild._

_Her eyes were crystals._

"Why do you not answer me, Lady Daimakaicho?"_ She spoke, though naught once did her mouth move, the woman with the crystal eyes-like raw rubies, a dull red that held no shine no matter what the angle Nidhogg stared at her from._

_Hild bared her teeth in a snarl, yet the child in her eyes and the water beneath her feet reminded the demon lord of her position. She could not afford a challenge in a land that was not her territory, risking her own child should she let Nidhogg get the better of her. "No..." She said slowly, rubbing Urd's shoulders reassuringly as she glared at the woman who was no more a woman then Hild was human. "...I didn't promise. I don't make promises I can't keep."_

_She heard a whimper from Urd, yet Hild's gaze remained focused on the avatar of Nidhogg, a creature created in the image of a demon, of _her_, much as her own beast was created in the image of Nidhogg. _

_The creature crossed its hands over its chest, raising a silver eyebrow at the demon. "_So does that mean you _are _going to disappear one day?"_ It was toying with her, she was certain. It had seen something in Urd, something in the visions of the water its body rested in, and now it was searching for something, testing waters and seeing what might reveal itself._

_Hild leaned back, readjusting her kneeling position to sit cross-legged in the water. The water was bitter-cold, rising to cover her legs up to her knees, but it cleared her mind, and as she pulled Urd into her lap, who shrieked at the cold water's assault on clothes already damp from humidity, Hild continued. "You know the answer to that as well as I do, Nidhogg." The Daimakaicho hesitated for a moment, looking down at Urd, who looked back with large and wild eyes. She met Nidhogg's crystal eyes once more, and the avatar-demon gestured her on, urging her to continue._

For whom do you have me explain this, Nidhogg?_ She wondered, a deep frown marring her face. _Surely not yourself. You see all with Yggdrasil as your food and the sea of knowledge as your pond. What do you see now that would bring a cause for me to explain this? And to my _child_ of all the realms creatures!

_Yet Nidhogg gave no response to her queries, and so Hild spoke once more. "Yes. I expect to disappear one day. I am an old demon. A very old demon. And I admit there are times I grow tired of this life and find myself wishing for rest. I am no fool, either. I know one day, sometime in the far,_ far_, off future, there will come a time when I shall gain that rest, and I shall vanish from this world." The wild haired woman narrowed her eyes at the dragon-serpent. "You know that as well as I." She repeated. "It is the nature of things. Even the strongest of us will one day be laid to rest." She held __her daughter tight to her chest, feeling the tension in the girl's shoulders. "And someone else will rise to take our place."_

_The smile on Nidhogg's face grew larger, seeming to accommodate it's entire face. _"Yes..a fine explanation. I believe some of the visions the Little One saw are starting to make sense to her now..."

_A growl escaped Hild's throat, and the woman took the child into her arms, rising out of the water abruptly. "Yes, a fine explanation indeed, Nidhogg. And now that I've found what is mine I do believe it's time the both of us departed. We'd not want to overstay our welcome." The dark woman bowed her head, whispering words of comfort that she knew already would do the child little good after the words spoken. Urd responded little, choosing instead to bury her face in her mother's shirt and remain quiet, a characteristic that was not in the norm for her daughter._

_The sooner they left, the better._

"I think not."

"_What?" _

"Yes...you heard me. I do believe something is owed to me for allowing you into my domain unchallenged. You, being a leader of demons, know that nothing is free, and so I must say that I cannot allow you to simply depart without something in exchange for your time here." _More of a growl had grown to encompass its voice now, and somewhere beyond the horizon a deep and guttural roar echoed, causing Urd to shrink against her mother's frame with a cry._

_Hild looked to her daughter, then to Nidhogg's avatar, a grimace on her face that seeped into a snarl. "Nidhogg...you already have Kali here. His life should be more then enough of a fare for the both of us."_

_A dissatisfied rumble emerged from somewhere around the humanoid avatar. Hild would have bet her life that it did not emerge from the creature's throat. _"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you, Lady Daimakaicho. However, when a foolish demon manages its way into my den, its soul is whole. This one's soul was consumed by the child resting in your arms, Lady, and so I find myself with a dept half-paid."_ The creature's expression darkened, and slowly Hild backed away, sensing danger and waiting for the direction it would come from._

_The avatar didn't disappoint, one arm shooting out in front of it's body and towards Hild and Urd. The limb lengthened, darkened, mutated, and where once was a hand a large and gaping maw raced towards them, opening wide enough to devour them both in one gulp. Hild jumped, and the mouth came crashing down into the water with a great _sploosh_, gaining nothing but a frustrated growl from it's originator._

_It glared to the heavens, where mother and child hovered high above its head, and a vicious snarl aligned its needle-mouth. _"Now, Lady Daimakaicho, you've explained yourself to your child. Now why don't you come down here and 'disappear'?" _Even up as high as they were, Nidhogg's voice rang loud and clear in the air. _"The child has already seen you vanish once. And I do believe your life would be a fair exchange for what the girl stole from me as well as the fare for both her and your intrusion into my den, don't you think? After all, it's not often I'm guaranteed food that fills my belly."

"_Urd, wrap your arms around my neck and hold on at tightly as possible. I'm going to need my hands free if we're to get out of this in one piece" She saw her daughter's head bob up and down in understanding, and felt the child's arms move around her neck, legs wrapping tightly around her torso and leaving the bronze woman's arms free to move. And none too soon either, as Nidhogg shot it's other arm towards them, maws and jaws and beaks with teeth emerging from the limb and devouring each other, growing from what they ate only to be eaten in turn, until finally one great muzzle sprouted, twice the size of the Daimakaicho and lined with wickedly curved fangs._

_The woman swore an oath, summoning a ball of violet plasma in her hands and launching it at the monster. Flying to the side, the jaws clamped down on where once the duo hovered, and the flesh around the jaws expanded as the plasma exploded inside the creature's mouth. Another blessing escaped Hild's mouth when nothing but steam trickled from the gaps in its teeth and diverted it's course towards her once more._

_This time as the jaws parted a second pair of jaws sprouted from within, and the Daimakaicho quickly canceled the spell keeping her afloat, dropping to the ground below with the aid of gravity. From amongst the roots came a screech, and Hild's vision doubled as a part of her consciousness slid into the vassal that was her avatar once more. _

_On wings that burned the humid air she swooped and dove, talons outstretched for the being that still resembled something human and colliding into the torso of Nidhogg, claws plunging deep into flesh and knocking the creature off it's feet. At one of the things arms, Hild caught a glimpse of another creature, one smaller and more maneuverable then her great and lumbering beast, and the demon Hild looked down to the child at her side, head pressed against her breast and closed eyes fluttering as though in dream._

_A smile spread across the Demon-Hild's face at the sight even as the Beast-Hild crowed in victory, watching for a brief moment as the beast-child tore into the thinnest part of the limb that was both mouth and arm, shredding it with talons and beak and fangs to the bone beneath, and then wearing away at that in the hopes of severing it from the main body._

_Yet Nidhogg was not so easy a creature to beat, even in the form of an avatar dressed in the guise of a demon. The opposing arm came at the little creature sawing away at it's twin, and had it not been for the Demon-Hild's shout of warning in the Demon-Urd's ear, the little beast would have been consumed without even realizing it. Instead the Beast-Urd released its grip on the arm, leaping to the air and taking flight just as the jaws of death moved to clamp down on it's own arm, severing the limb in the process._

_Wing sprouted from the severed stump and wings sprouted from hanging flesh and muscle, and where one a severed limb fell a new beast rose to take it's place, flying on great black wings after Urd's avatar. A wyvern, a winged serpent, it's jaws snapped hungrily after the creature, and Demon-Hild summoned a great spear of amethyst lightening to her side, readying to skewer the monster before it could touch the lesser experienced beast. Yet a pain bit into her arm like fire, and the woman howled as she tossed the lightning, her aim askew and flowing over the monster without so much as nicking it's wings._

_The pain was from the beast, not the demon, she knew, and from the eyes of her avatar she saw the arm that burned engulfed in a new mouth from Nidhogg's torso, another starting to open from the puncture wounds inflicted by her other claw, and desperately the beast pulled back, trying to escape the avatar even as it's free paw began to sink into Nidhogg's flesh._

_The avatar shrieked , and the demon that housed it gasped, feeling the beast's pain as surely as if it were her own, and she growled as her body twitched, fighting off the spasms of pain and reminding herself it wasn't the demon, the demon wasn't loosing her arms and wasn't being eaten alive, it was the avatar, who was separate from the demon in this realm, in this world within a world._

_Urd screamed._

_The Daimakaicho's eyes automatically flew to the beast that held the child's spirit, and rage and terror filled her breast as she watched the wyvern descend upon it's form, white talons digging into it's back and a deep line of fangs sinking into it's shoulder. The avatar screamed and Urd screamed with it, and the beast fell from the sky, plummeting into the mists below as it fought to free itself from the wyvern's hold._

Sever the link. You need to sever the link!_ Urd twisted and squirmed against her in the phantom pain of her avatar, and Hild fought to shift her vision into the gray area, the gray area where demons and beasts grew connected and searching for those bright threads that tied child and avatar together. She saw them, twisting and tangling and stretching thin and taught the further the beast and child separated,and Hild brought her hand across her view of them, imagining a sword and watching the threads of light snap._

_Urd gasped and shuddered against her as the girl's consciousness returned to her, and the beast beneath them went limp. _

_Hild had just enough time to watch the wyvern snap the avatar's neck before the two beasts vanished into the mist below._

"_Mama!" Urd cried against her, and with arms that shook with fear and burned in pain, Hild stroked her daughter's head, her own breath coming out in deep pants as she fought to calm her own heart. _

"_Come, let's trade the sky for something stable beneath out feet." They descended unhindered, the many creatures in the realm, some born of demons, others born of serpents, keeping one another entertained in the most painful sense of the word. The two demons landed on the apex of the root from before, and even as she surveyed the area, Hild found no sign of Kali; only a long row of holes punctured deep in the wood of the root that she had not noticed prior. Urd's grip around her neck vanished and the older woman gently placed the child on the ground, who collapsed to her knees and onto her rump as soon as her feet touched the wood._

_Finding herself with little desire to leave her daughter unattended in a land filled with a beast more then eager to devour the mother, let alone the child, Hild allowed herself to drop to her knees as well, sitting in that manner and resting her arms on the child's shoulders. "Urd, you're okay, you're alive, understand me?" Severing a link to any part of the spirit was never easy, never painless, and still she could feel the child shaking beneath her arms. And then the whimpers began, followed by the sobs, and Hild saw her vision waver for a brief, painstaking moment as Urd collided into her stomach, crying and sobbing over a partial death, the death of the avatar that had grown connected to her after a curious child had touched a gate in a weapons closet. _

_The woman grit her teeth, her face a grimace as she tried to observe as much of her surroundings as __the demon-Hild's eyes would allow. The wyvern was still out there. "Come now, Urd. You need to be strong. We won't make it through this if you can't hold yourself together. Come on, stay with me." She rested her chin on her daughters head once more, knowing Urd would listen and feeling the child tense and relax, tense and relax, as she fought down her sobs. "Good child..."_

_And then she saw it; through the eyes of the her in the water below. Her forelegs imprisoned in the avatar's flesh, hind legs kicking and scratching and sliding in the water as she fought to escape. The sickening rip of flesh and pop of bone, and suddenly the body of the avatar beneath its talons ripped open with a snap, from the head and straight down through the torso. The two sides hardened, bone moving through muscle and sprouting as fangs, until the entire body was little more than one large and gaping jaw._

_It shrieked, her beast, trapped as it was, and though it fought and squirmed, going so far as to bite it's own trapped limbs in an effort to free itself, the acts were all in vain._

_The jaws snapped shut on her stomach. And Hild didn't even have the strength to draw breath in a scream. _Sever the link, sever the link!_ Her mind screamed at her, and try though she might, Hild could not find the calm that would allow her slide into that realm of threads. _You fool! Sever it or you'll die! _With what breath she had left in her body, the Daimakaicho coughed, tasting blood on her tongue an knowing it was her other half's, her own body reflecting the injuries inflicted upon it._

_She felt herself lean against her daughter, heard Urd call out to her, yet her mind, her spirit was too far lost in the injured creature that lay dieing in the water, where a beast screamed as the terror that was Nidhogg tore the flesh from it's body, devouring the avatar alive as the creature watched. Only now, its life blood streaming into the water in a red bloom, it's vision was graying, and with it, so too was the vision of the Daimakaicho._

_The bronze woman fell to her side, not even a grunt escaping her throat as her body hit the wood, and she could see the hazy form of her daughter kneeling at her side, scared and desperate and saying things her rational mind could not make out._

_In the water, Nidhogg's jaws rose from the dying beast, only to dive down onto the avatar with a new ferocity._

_And Hild's world went black._

* * *

"Mom...c'mon, aren't you awake yet?" She felt something nudge her shoulder, and with a grimace Hild rolled to her other side, freeing her shoulder from the persistent shaking that was refusing to allow her the rest she deserved. Her arms hurt. Her stomach hurt. Crap, she even hurt in places she didn't know could hurt! How was it possible that her _nails_ hurt?

"Mo_oo_m!" The insistent voice cried out in a long and drawn out whine, and in her half-asleep state a part of her wondered if she smacked the annoying voice upside the head if maybe it wouldn't let her rest. Blindly, a hand lazily rose, and she swatted at the voice the direction came from with a grunt, as though the owner were an annoying fly that couldn't take the hint to buzz off. Giggles rose around her as she let the limb fall to the ground once more, and another voice replaced the annoying fly.

_Let your mother rest, child. It is no easy task to return from death._ More laughter from all around her, and Hild curled up into a tighter ball, squeezing her eyes shut as tight as she could as she sought out the sweet oblivion of sleep. Whispers and sighs replaced the laughter, and something warm pressed up against her back.

And Hild slept again.

When next Hild awoke, her body, she found, did not ache. The world was bright. Too bright to be anything found within the realm of Niflhiem, and for a brief moment two thoughts entered her mind. One was that she was dead. Two was that wherever the dead go in the afterlife, it was to a place so blindingly bright she had to wonder why she still had eyes in her head.

Those violet eyes blinked and adjusted, and slowly Hild rolled off her side and onto her stomach, carefully picking herself up. Her body rested on the wood of a tree, lumpy and brown and green with soft moss. For a long moment the woman simply sat there, breathing the sweet and heavy air, feeling the heat and humidity sink past her clothes and cling to her flesh. She breathed. She felt. Her heart beat.

She was alive.

Laughter, familiar and almost comforting, echoed throughout the surrounding fog, and for a brief moment the Daimakaicho thought she recognized one of the figures running past her. Yet the shade passed without slowing, and before Hild could make it out, the phantom was gone, devoured by the haze once more.

_I see you're awake. Welcome back to the world of the living. _This time Hild did know the figure that emerged from the mist, and the Daimakaicho moved to rise as those familiar crystal eyes fell upon her once more only to find herself falling to the ground as a smaller figure emerged from behind Nidhogg. The little bundle of energy that was Urd collided into Hild with all the power of a tiny locomotive, and Hild let out a rather undignified squawk that would have made her men fall to their knees with laughter had any been there to hear it.

"You're awake! You're awake!" The girl cried, her shouts in Hild's ear as the child laughed in glee, and slowly, feeling very much her age at that particular moment, Hild returned her daughter's embrace, feeling her own soft laughter join with Urd's. "What took you so long?" The girl asked between laughs. "You were asleep _forever_!"

Running her hand through Urd's hair, the bronze woman smiled. "I suppose I was just tired." She said, looking up from Urd and to the amused smile of Nidhogg once more. "You severed my link, didn't you?" She accused. "When your bite killed the other me; you bit through it and to the threads that connected me to it all at once." The frown deepened. "_Why_?"

Something that might have passed for laughter gurgled from around the avatar, and Nidhogg smiled it's needle-teeth at Hild once more. There were flecks of black and red on the fangs. _Momento Mori. _It said. _Remember, nothing is immortal. Remember, everything shall die._

Hild gave the beast woman a pointed look. "Somehow, I don't think that is what _momento mori _means. And I don't see what that has to do with threatening to kill me and..." She paused, thinking on the circumstances behind her 'death'. "...half-killing me."

More gurgle-laughter from around the avatar. "_It explains everything."_ It said cryptically.

Hild sent it an annoyed glare.

"You're not helping."

There was a soft tug on her sleeve, and Hild looked down to Urd once more. "It's okay Mama. I get it." The words did not put the Daimakaicho at ease, and her gaze grew suspicious. Yet Urd seemed immune to the look and giggled. "Nidhogg showed me lots of stuff when you were sleeping." She said. "I get lots of stuff I didn't know before."

"Oh really?"

A nod from the child. "Uh-huh." She confirmed, crawling out of Hild's lap to stand once more. "And Nidhogg said that we should go when you wake up and that you've been sleeping so long and we were here so long that even the people waiting on the other side of the gate are getting worried." The words came out in one long breath that left the girl panting as she stared at her mother, and despite herself, Hild snorted in amusement.

"Fine. You win."

A dark hand, one of a different tone of color from her own flesh, dropped into the Daimakaicho's vision, and Hild followed it to the face of it's owner. A moment of hesitation, recalling briefly a gut-wrenching pain in her stomach and a feeling of fire in her arms, and Hild grabbed Nidhogg's hand, allowing the avatar to pull the demon lord to her feet. And as she did she Saw, and as she Saw Hild understood, a smile matching the one on Nidhogg's face spreading across her features unbidden. The silver-haired woman shook her head. "There will never be a time," She murmured. "Where I will come to understand how your mind works."

Nidhogg only continued to smile, and then the avatar was gone, leaving mother and child alone on a root once more.

A small hand slipped into her own, and Hild looked down to Urd, who beamed at her. Her wounds were gone and her clothes differed from what Hild remembered seeing before her partial death, and again Hild could not help but wonder where her daughter had ventured with the avatar that was Nidhogg. "Yes." She said. "I do believe it's time for us to return."

Somewhere, in the mist below them, something dark and black slithered onwards, leaving a gate to the world beyond it its wake.

* * *

Phenex jumped as the seals around the gate began to vanish, one by one, before beginning to crack open on a will all it's own. The tan man let out a shriek that would have been more at home in an eagle's throat then a man's, and then came the pounding of footsteps as the others responded from further down the hallway. From the light that housed within the entrance of the gate two silhouettes emerged, and as they drew close the Goetia recognized Hild and her daughter, calmly walking towards them without a care in the world.

"Boss!" The dreadlocked man chirped, a toothy smile on his face that was blinding against his dark features. His next words died in his throat, however, and the man was forced to do a double take.

For all the child that walked with her looked to be in the prime of health, down to the point where even her clothes looked new, Hild looked like she'd been chewed up and spit out by a meat grinder. In all the time he could remember working with her, the bird man could not quite recall a time she'd looked so beaten and bruised, not even in the times he served under her in the war against the heavens.

Yet the Daimakaicho smiled none the less, and when she did, for a brief moment the Goetia demon was certain her jaw was lined with nothing but rows upon rows of fangs. "We're back."

Amon stepped forward, his form human than demon and concern dwelling in his gray eyes. "What happened?"

And the Daimakaicho laughed, long and hard, the sound almost a growl in her throat it was so harsh. "Some words of wisdom." She said. "Nidhogg is a grand and powerful creature. It is also the biggest bitch in the world. Should ever there come a time you find yourself in it's presence, do not upset it. The creature _will_ eat you alive."

There was a long moment of silence, and then one of them, someone from further back, hiding in the dark of the corridor, dared to ask, "You got _eaten_?"

Behind them the gate to Nidhogg's lair began to shut, and once more the group was bathed in darkness as the sigils slowly began to reignite.

Yet the Daimakaicho only laughed that harsh laugh once more, and when she looked to Amon again her eyes were like raw rubies in the descending darkness. "Let's return. I've been gone for too long and I grow tired. If I feel up to it, I shall explain more after a good, long rest.

They'd been gone for seven hours, Decarabia told them on the way back. The rebels had been taken to their own separate cells to await Andres' attention and Marller was resting and recovering in a ward. Hild, listening with half an ear, nodded at the appropriate times while Urd expressed a desire to see her friend.

"So long as you let the girl rest." Decarabia said, traversing the stairs and emerging in familiar, elaborate hallways once more. "She's gone through an ordeal of her own and she won't recover her strength if she's got a pesky demon waking her up every minute."

The remaining rebellious factions under Kali's reign had all been gathered hours prior, and still guards roamed the corridors, anxious and wary and on their toes after a simple manhunt had turned into a foiled kidnapping. And so with a nod and a promise, Urd was off, bounding away under the watchful gaze of hundreds of Slayers and a fair share of Goetia.

Hild, true to her word, retired to her room for a good long while, calling for three rather beaten and bloody feline siblings to guard her chambers while she slept. Her dreams were of phantoms and serpents, beasts and trees, until finally even those too came to a stop, and Hild dreamed of nothing at all.

Urd peeked her head in to the room. The guard stationed outside the door did the same, as though checking to make sure no pesky demons had snuck in in the past thirty minutes since last he'd checked, and then nudged Urd further inside with a metal boot. The girl grunted, glared at the demon, and then ventured inside.

The door shut with a snap behind her, and Urd took a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the faint light of the room. It was dark and cool, shades drawn against a window that she knew held a view of the world outside stretching into the city that rested at the castle's outskirts. (The castle didn't rest at the city's outskirts; Niflhiem had been built after the castle, and there had yet to be any tower tall enough to dwarf the great building whom housed the roots of Yggdrasil.) A bed rested to one side of the room, and it was to that piece of furniture Urd approached, catching sight of a large lump under thick covers and a tangle of blonde hair exposed to the world.

The child grinned, pausing at the end of the bed to examine the sleeping body of her friend. Marller was small, and the bed only emphasized that fact, not even taking up a third of the bed and leaving plenty of unused space that a certain little demon now climbed on top of. She rested against the wooden frame of the bed, observing Marller for a second before finally deciding her comrade had had enough rest in the long time she'd been with Nidhogg.

Just how long did it take for a demon to heal, anyways?

_Time flows differently here_. A small piece of her whispered, and Urd nodded in understanding.

"Marller. Wake up."

Her voice was soft, yet the words spoken were not a request. They were an order. And with a groan, Marller obeyed, turning in the bed just enough to regard the bronze child with a tired red eye. "Wha'ddaya wan'?" She yawned.

Eight hours ago, the very act of alone of waking Marller would have taking a good deal of time, especially with a demon in Marller's condition. It would have been through a great deal of pestering, pleading, and no small number of pinching to rouse the demon. Yet Urd was not the same Urd of eight hours ago. She'd _seen_ things, she had, and she knew things now no other demon, not even her mother knew.

She knew Marller would respond because it was Marller's duty to listen to her, and so it was that Urd smiled at her friend. Marller didn't return the grin, perhaps too exhausted to muster forth the effort to make the forty-two muscles in her mouth fork upwards in a grin. Bandages dotted her exposed flesh, and the peaks of a long wrap of cloth shown against one of her shoulder.

She smelled strongly of herbs.

"Listen, I gotta tell you something."

A grunt. One that could have said, 'Please, continue, you have my rapt attention good mistress Urd' or could have easily passed for 'That's nice. I don't care. Now go away and let me sleep.'

Taking it for the definition prior, Urd continued. "Listen, I'm going to be going away soon..."

* * *

Hild did not bother to suppress the yawn that threatened to overtake her, and it came loud and obnoxious in the quiet of her office. She'd gotten her rest and felt more like herself when she'd awoken once more. A quick bath and a new change of clothes, (the others were ruined beyond repair), and she felt like a new woman once more. Things had quieted down by now, the guards beginning to relax to the point where they had stopped following her like lost ducklings, and with the ease of tension the Daimakaicho felt like she could catch up on some long overdue paperwork.

She'd ignored it long enough, dodging through politics, rebels, and Nidhogg's teeth to the point where a little paperwork felt a like a bit of a break, and so Hild read the monotonous papers with the same relaxed air she held for her favored novels. A signature here for a contract that needed to be approved, a little editing there before shipping another contract out to a field agent. Records of one demon versus another and a training report on several cadets new to the ranks of Slayers.

The phone rang.

"_Listen, I'm going to be going away soon."_

A small frown rose on her face as Hild answered it, knowing before the voice came who was on the other line.

"Hild."

"_Nidhogg says I can't stay here anymore. It said that the eagle at the top of the Yggdrasil is going to steal me away, and nothing can be done to stop it."_

"You know why I'm calling."

"Yes...I do. And my answer is no. You can't have her."

"Hild...I warned you once already what it would mean if something were to happen to her again."

"And don't think I've forgotten either. But my answer is final. She stays with me."

"Hild..." The voice on the other end was strained and tired, clearly wishing for the argument to stop. Then came a long sigh followed with an even longer silence. Finally the one on the other side spoke again. "...Then you would go to war over her?"

A bestial snarl from Hild, and the woman yanked the receiver from her ear, glaring at it and almost seeing His eyes staring back, infuriatingly calm and gentle and beautiful and...She put the receiver back to her ear. "Don't you dare play your games like that. Urd is not some trophy to be won."

"I know that. Which is why you'll give her to me without a fight...or are you willing to be held responsible for the blood of your people and mine on your hands?"

It struck a cord in her. He was getting to close to a line that had been agreed upon long ago never to be crossed. "You'd be held just as responsible."

"Perhaps...yet it would not change the fact that they were avoidable casualties because _you, _the Daimakaicho,would not agree to a simple request from the Almighty."

He'd done it.

The line had been crossed.

"Just as _you _are responsible for the deaths of _how _many worlds?" She hissed. "How many have died in your name; not just mortals, but Valkyries, gods, as well? How many lives have you snuffed out because you felt it was necessary to 'start over', to recreate world after gods-forsaken world in your own image?" The woman's voice rose, to the point where she found herself screaming at the one on the other end. "How many shall fall in your name to my people, for a cause they never truly knew?"

She paused there, her throat raw and realizing she was panting in her rage. Hild drew a deep breath and counted to ten, fighting desperately to regain the calm she'd become so well-known for.

"I'll have one of my people waiting for you in Purgatory."

And with a roar Hild slammed the phone down. It broke in two as it hit it's other half and from it, a dead dial tone buzzed, laughing and mocking in her rage.

Hild plopped down in her chair once more, not even realizing she'd come to stand somewhere in the conversation. She leaned back and closed her eyes, running her hands through her hair.

For a long while she thought of everything. And then nothing at all.

_And nothing can be done to stop it..._

* * *

"Mama?"

Urd slowly slid inside the office, knowing her mother had called and answering her summons as quickly as possible.

Hild sat behind her desk, the chair slanted at an angle and an elbow resting on the wood of her table. Her head rested in her hand, and the Daimakaicho stared off into space, her gaze distant and unfocused.

There was a tension in the air, one that made the hairs on Urd's arms stick up in alarm, and the child approached her mother carefully and cautiously, wondering if perhaps she'd come at a bad time.

"Mama?"

This time Hild looked up, her gaze sharp and piercing, and Urd winced as that gaze landed on her form. Then the eyes softened and the tension eased as an honest smile spread across Hild's face. "Ah, Urd, there you are. Come here child."

The girl did as bid, walking around the desk and to where her mother sat. The older woman picked the girl up and placed her in her lap, wrapping long arms around the girl's body in an embrace. "Urd my dear, I have a proposal for you."

Curiosity gaining way over her initial trepidation, Urd leaned her head back, meeting the matching violet eyes of Hild. "What is it?"

The woman smiled bright white teeth at the girl. "You have a sister, somewhere very far away that has been wanting to meet you, did you know that?" She murmured. Urd's expression was one of shock, and chuckling gently, Hild continued. "She lives in this far away place with her father, and a good many other people. Now my question for you is this: Would you like to go and meet them?"

_Just say no. Just say no and you can stay here with me, heaven's be damned. I'll go to war with the world if you want to stay, just say the word and you can stay here where you belong..._

"Sister?" Urd's voice was a squeak as she stared at Hild with large eyes. "Wanting..to meet me?" A nod from Hild, and Urd bounced in her mother's lap excitedly. "When can I go? I never knew I had a sister! I wanna meet her too!"

Hild laughed once more, yet it did not hold the enthusiasm as was the norm. "Calm yourself. You'll see her soon enough." The embrace around Urd tightened, and Urd squeaked as Hild buried her face in the child's hair, shoulder's trembling.

_Yes...soon enough, you'll see her, if that's what you desire, my child. And I just pray to the Powers That Be, to Nidhogg, to Yggdrasil, to any entity higher then myself, then _that _man. Please, just don't forget your time down here..._

_Don't forget us, Urd._

* * *

_For there is a tree in the heavens, in a place called Asgard. It's roots grow deep and far, all the way down here where Nidhogg devours them. But the tree grows weak as Nidhogg feasts, and no one knows how to care for it so that it might still thrive. But Nidhogg knows, and Nidhogg showed me, so I know too._

_I was with Nidhogg for a long time. And Nidhogg showed me what would happen if the tree died. It was bad. Real bad. And even though Nidhogg had no love for the tree, or the eagle that will come to take me away, it does love the ones who've come to dwell around it, who've all come to care for it as the eagle's children cares for the tree, and so it told me what I need to do._

_I need to go up there where the eagle is and I need to care for the tree. For no one else can, and Nidhogg is always hungry for more. I will water the tree and make it grow strong, and with it so too will Nidhogg grow strong, for the strength of the tree is Nidhogg's as well. _

_And then the time will come when Nidhogg will one day grow stronger then Yggdrasil, and clime it's bark to the heavens._

_And then it will eat that stupid bird. _

* * *

_Andres' Cells_

He heard a jingle and a rattle as the lock fell from his cell, and he drew a hand across his face as light he'd not seen in ages fell across his face. The person strode in and immediately he knew it was not The Torturer who stood before him. It was not anyone he recognized, as his eyes grew used to the light once more, and he stared at the person dumbly, wondering if perhaps the person was a new torturer, or perhaps the same Torturer in another form.

The person smiled and offered him a hand. "Now, now Vikoka, this one is no Torturer." The person said. "This one is a savior. One that has come to rescue you from this blessed hole in the earth." He reached for the hand at that, only for the limb, gloved and pale, pulled away before he could grasp it. "But first, this one must know one thing. What would you do for freedom?"

"Anything." His voice was a harsh croak against his ears, scars of his sessions with The Torturer.

A smile, huge and bright and beaming, brightened the person's face. "Then will you serve me and join my cause?"

He hesitated at that, recalling similar words from a different face, one that had abandoned he and his brother to wolves before vanishing forever. Then came memories of screams and pain, of pleads and desperation and futility, and his eyes hardened.

He grabbed the hand.

And from one cell two vanished, naught to be seen again.

* * *

_Heaven,Central Asgard_

There was a knock on his door, and the young man gestured it open from behind his desk. One of the higher ranking gods, Vidar, entered and he moved to stand even as the elder waved him back to his seat.

"Working hard still, I see." The man smiled looking pointedly down at the large stack of paper that rested in a neat stack on his desk. "You should learn to take breaks, my friend. Paperwork will lead even the Almighty to madness if that is all he does in his days."

The young man chuckled lightly at that, smiling earnestly at Vidar before shuffling the stack he'd been working on nervously. "Ah, but if I don't finish them, all these wishes will never be granted! How can we expect to do the world Assiah any good if we cannot even approve of a single wish on their behalf?"

Vidar stared at the youth for a long, hard moment and then laughed raucously, leaning over the youth's table to slap the dark-haired man on the shoulder with a large, meaty hand. "Ah, you're a good lad, Celestine, but I do believe it's time we got you out of this stuffy ol' office for a change."

The large man drew away from his smaller comrade and pulled out a file from deep within his robes. "Congratulations. All that hard work is starting to show itself. The Almighty requested you be name."

Startled, the youth, Celestine, jumped to his feet once more, gingerly taking the file from his supervisor with all the fear of a man afraid to get bitten. "The Almighty, Sir?" He asked. "But I've done nothing to garnish such attention!'

Vidar snorted in amusement. "You don't do yourself enough credit, lad. And perhaps that is one reason why He chose you. He never was much for the arrogant types." The man rapped his knuckles on the wood of Celestine's desk at that, and then turned to leave. "Open it when I'm gone." He said. "I was told by _my _boss that it was something only for those with a need to know basis. And I, he assured me, do _not_ have a need to know." With that the large deity walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and leaving Celestine alone with his file.

Hesitantly he opened it, and slowly he read.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully this will make up for the last chapter. And now we finally reach the conclusion of the first half of Origins!


	13. Goodbyes and Hellos

Origins

Heaven Arch

* * *

There was something about the demilitarization zone between the heavens and hells that left one with a feeling of emptiness. Perhaps it was in the open ground, still lined with holes and craters from battles long past. Maybe it was the large caves, their entrances open and jagged like the maws of horrid monsters, where combatants long since dead had once sought shelter in. Or it could have been the vast and colorless wasteland that the DMZ was; Purgatory, a land so imbued with magic both divine and damned that nothing could exist beneath its sun's burning rays.

Celestine believed it was a combination of everything. The land was not kind; no more than it was cruel. It was simply…dead. The land existed, but nothing more. Or perhaps there were more, if the rumors were to be believed; of those lost and lonely souls so long ago departed, endlessly traversing the landscape in the hopes of finding their next enemy to slaughter.

The deity didn't know.

What he did know was that Purgatory was no place for the living. Despite the unnatural heat of Sol's chariot, so close that if he looked to the sun the man could make out the goddess's chariot and steeds, Celestine felt a shiver race down his spine. "Of all the places to meet." The man muttered to himself. "It had to be here?"

"This place is sacred ground, Sir." The Valkyrie who was serving as his escort said. Geirskogul? No, Geirskogul had the red tattoo around her wrist. This one's was blue. Skogul then. "Too many have died here-it'd be disrespectful to dishonor their memories-deity or demon-with more battles. Neither side shall fight here." The woman was smaller than him-most women were-with long blond hair pulled back in a bun and eyes the shade of the ocean at low tide. The woman stood alert and on guard in the traditional white Valkyrie robes, one hand resting anxiously on the flat end of the ax strapped to her side. "Besides...fighting here brings things that should not be. No fight is worth the attention of _those_ ones."

Her words were ominous, her voice soft, softer than his, and he knew the woman to have a loud and rambunctious personality when first Macha had introduced him to her. To see such a land have so strong an effect on the lady warrior was almost terrifyingly sobering. "The demons know that. They won't try anything if it means drawing _them_, just as we won't dishonor the ones who've fallen here." The blond continued.

Grimly, Celestine wondered just what _those_ things were, and some small suicidal piece of his mind was even tempted to ask the warrior for clarification. Yet he was saved from asking and no doubt suffering a rather painful and unpleasant death by Valkyrie with the approach of the ones they waited on. Out in the distance, standing tall against the horizon, a dark silhouette approached the duo. Heat waves created the illusion of something more, so far in the distance it was, and for a brief moment Celestine fancied himself a serpent approaching, wearing a pelt of black coal and a mane of white ash.

The man blinked and the illusion was gone. In its place, where Celestine had known there to be one, now two approached, the new figure small and trailing behind its larger counterpart. _It__'__s __the __heat __on __this __plain._ The deity thought, dark eyes distinguishing first two, one, then two people again. _Either __that__…_The man rubbed his eyes on the sleeve of his white robe, and when he looked once more towards the figures, the serpent appeared again. _Or __something __else._

At his side, the deity heard a quick intake of breath. "Holy shit…" The Skogul breathed, and the man sent the warrior a dirty look. The Valkyrie didn't notice, her eyes wide and the grip on her ax shifting to grasp the pole. "Celestine, you ass!" The woman snapped. "When you said you were acting as an ambassador, you never said _anything _about meeting the Daimakaicho!" She hissed, her stance growing defensive. "I thought we were meeting some noble-born lesser demon! Not the Queen of Hell herself!"

"Daimakaicho?" Celestine echoed, brows furrowing together in confusion. He glanced back to the encroaching duo and then to Skogul once more. "Are you certain? Surely you're mistaken." The man squinted, making out the forms of two individuals. A woman and child, with the youth trailing along behind her elder. Judging by the dark skin and white hair, the two looked to be related. "The Daimakaicho would not belittle herself as to make something as simple as a delivery…" The man trailed off. "…Would she?"

He looked down at his shorter companion, meeting scalding blue that glared up at the deity angrily. Skogul scowled. "Celestine." Her voice held a warning tone to it, and had it not been for the sake of appearances the man would have stepped away from the Valkyrie. Instead he held his place, and Skogul continued. "I was instructed to assist you on the transfer of personnel from Niflheim to the heaven's capital of Asgard." She whispered loudly. "From the way Macha spoke, I was led to believe that the personnel I was to assist you with were any number of the POWs the Hells capture on the borderlands-_these_ borderlands, mind you-however now I'm getting this strange feeling that there was something Macha left out. Something _you_ conveniently forgot to mention."

The woman jutted her chin towards the approaching demons. "Who-no, _what_-am I helping you transfer, Celestine? What is so important to Niflheim that the Daimakaicho herself would escort it into the hands of the gods?"

Celestine coughed, feeling his forehead bead with sweat. "Ah…" He fought off the desire to wipe his head with a sleeve. The man swallowed nervously. This was _not_in the Almighty's instructions. "I couldn't say. Even if I could, I was instructed not to say anything." The dark-haired deity explained. "The person we were to acquire was of such a high importance that even _I_ was not told who we were retrieving." Skogul glared. "Please, can we discuss this at a later time?" Desperately, the man's dark eyes darted to the demons and back. Right now the Daimakaicho was looking _awfully _friendly. "Remember, we're representing all the heavens with this transfer. It would look bad for us to be fighting. _Especially_ in front of the Daimakaicho."

Skogul's glared darkened into a snarl, and for a moment the woman looked as though she might strike him. _Almighty, __what __did __I __do? __I __have __done__ nothing __to __earn __this __woman__'__s __wrath!_ Celestine cringed, waiting for the inevitable. Instead the Valkyrie straightened, the scowl disappearing behind a carefully expressionless mask as she turned to greet the newcomers. The god stared at the woman for a moment before following her example. _Why __me?_

Straightening, the man turned to find both woman and child watching at him with matching violet eyes. No, not matching…there was something…_sinister_ within the woman's eyes. _Is __it __because__ her __pupils __are __slit?__ Or __is __it __something __else?_ It was the only outward sign Celestine could see that marked the woman for a demon-aside from the red of her sigels. A rarity-from what Celestine understood of the race, all demons had at least one quality that was decidedly bestial. Elongated fangs, sharply pointed ears, fur or scales where there should have been flesh, overly long limbs or extra sets of body parts. Most demons had at least two or more inhuman features, but to have only one visible mark…it showed one of either two things: Either he was dealing with a very old demon that had evolved away from its more bestial brethren on its own terms or one of the younger demons who'd evolved into a more…_human_ form by way of years of reproduction.

Celestine seriously doubted the Daimakaicho was a young demon.

_It __doesn__'__t __mean__ anything, __Cel. _He told himself. _She__'__s __dressed,__ something_ you _should __consider __lucky. __You__'__ve __heard __stories __of __how__ some __prefer __no __clothes __at __all. __And __I__'__m__ pretty __sure __you __don__'__t__ want __to __know__ what __she__'__s __hiding __under__ an __outfit __like _that_._ True enough. Walking around in such a revealing dress initially lead Celestine to the thought of a succubus rather than the Daimakaicho. _Don__'__t __judge._ That sounded more like Soulful Elation than himself. _You__ remember __your __studies, __don__'__t __you __Cel? _The angel continued. _They __dress __like __that __because __of__ their __proximity __to __Muspelhiem, __the __realm__ of __the __burning __Jotun. __Look, __the __girl __is __dressed __similarly._ The girl was dressed in shorts and what looked like silk across her chest, held in place by little 'sides a pair of thin straps that hung loosely across her shoulders. A little more to one side or the other, and the top would be hanging half-way off her body. However that did not mean the child was dressed as her elder; the Daimakaicho's dress was much more…provocative than anything the child could wear. Yet Celestine understood the point his Other Half was trying to make. Still…despite himself, Celestine felt his eyes wandering up and down the woman's body, imagining what might be hidden underneath such a…unique…garb.

A pair of violet eyes caught and held his gaze, and a slender silver brow rose in question. "See something you like?" The woman purred, and Celestine felt himself turn red.

Cheeks burning, the man quickly averted his gaze, finding himself instead staring down at the youth latched tightly to the woman's hand. "No." He said rather forcefully. "Not from a demon, anyhow." At his side, Celestine heard Skogul sigh in irritation, and the man mentally winced. _And __people __wonder __why __I __have __trouble __with __women. __Regardless __of __what __I__ say, __somehow,__ some__way,__ some __woman __gets__ the__ wrong __impression._

The woman smiled and laughed, a deep, musical note that sounded like clear bells. "I see." She cooed, peering at him with inquisitive eyes. They were the same height, Celestine dimly realized. He didn't have the advantage of looking down at her. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Celestine wished he was taller. "So this one is more interested in men, is that it?"

The deity sputtered out an unintelligible response, cheeks burning all the brighter, and from his side something that sounded suspiciously like laughter arose from Skogul. Celestine sent the Valkyrie a murderous look, yet the Valkyrie's expression remained the same; calm, alert, and expressionless. Her eyes were dancing with laughter however, and anger replaced his embarrassment. "Damn it, no!" The deity snapped. "Why would I-"

The woman stepped forward, thrusting herself in front of Celestine. "Transgender?" She inquired, her eyes boring into his. "A sibling, perhaps?" She paused, and her eyes shifted downwards toward the child who'd accompanied her. "…Or are children more to your liking?"

Celestine took a step back, his expression shifting from horror to shock and finally to disgust. "No, no, and no!" He roared. "How _dare _you accuse me of such atrocities!" Disgusted, the man made a face. "I don't even have the words to describe what you're accusing me of. I'm not a…a-"

"A pervert?" Skogul finished for him, a finger rubbing the bladed edge of her ax tenderly, staring at the man nonchalantly. "You sure about that, Celestine? After some of the stories whispered around the hallways about you and Macha, I'm not too sure about that anymore…"

Celestine glared at the Valkyrie. "You're not helping!" The man snapped. "Why in the Almighty's name are you siding with _her_? Aren't you supposed to protect me from her? For what other reason did I bring you along?"

The Valkyrie's eyes flashed dangerously. "You brought _me_ along because your lady friend had more pressing matter to attend to than play 'bodyguard' for her little boy-toy." The woman shrugged, pointing at the demon. "And so long as _she_ doesn't touch you, there isn't shit I can do, Lover Boy."

"Oh, so he _does_ have a lover." A new voice arose from behind the woman, and Celestine diverted his gaze to the child who stared at him with inquisitive violet eyes. "And here I thought he was a pansexual with the way he denies everything."

The demon woman paused, looking over her shoulder and gracing the youth with a bright smile. "That's 'asexual', Dearheart." She corrected. "If he was pansexual he wouldn't have denied my advances. As it is…" Her smile turned malicious, and the woman whipped back to face him, her hand lashing out at him.

Celestine cursed and stumbled back, desperate to escape the demon, yet the woman proved to be far more agile than him. A slender dark hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked the deity foreword before he had time to react, pulling him towards the demon's body. A shout behind him was Skogul leaping into action, the woman a white blur of a ghost as she charged the demon-woman. _This __won__'__t __end __well._ Sensing his life coming towards an imminent demise, the deity closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable end.

Instead of his death at the hands of psychotic Valkyries and insane demons, Celestine instead felt his hand come into contact with something warm and soft. He felt smooth cloth and soft skin, and wearily, the deity opened his eyes, no small part of him wondering why he was still alive. Dark eyes widened. The demon had moved intimately close to the man in her grab. One hand was wrapped around his forearm, the edge of her palm having slammed into his elbow and forcing his arm to bend, whilst the other grasped his wrist, clutching the limb firmly and pressing it against the woman's breast.

Alarms bell went off in Celestine's mind and the man felt himself grow faint. Unfortunately, at the shock of discovering that he, a god with a first-class license, was rather forcefully groping the Queen of hell, sent all coherent thought flying out the window. And so he did what most men would have done when thrown into such a position.

He ogled her.

Some sinister piece of him even contemplated squeezing it before it was shot, beaten, burned and stomped by Soulful Elation. _What __in __the __Almighty__'__s __name __are __you __doing? _The angel demanded, doing the mental equivalent of grabbing Celestine by the shoulders and shaking him maddeningly. _Get__ your __mind __out __of __the __gutter __idiot! __She__'__d __sooner __kill __you__ than __fuck __you!_

Celestine's only response to his saner, more rational, self-preservative self was: _Boobies._

The angel threw its hands in the air. _Wonderful. _It muttered. _If __the __Daimakaicho __doesn__'__t __kill __us, __if __Skogul__ doesn__'__t __kill __us, __than __Macha __surely __will. __That __woman__ is __going __to __murder __us __in __our __sleep, __Celestine._

Ignorant of the one-sided conversation happening within Celestine's mind, the demon woman smiled, her gaze sliding past Celestine and towards Skogul, whose ax had come to a halt three inches from the dark woman's face. That Valkyries gaze was a torn look of rage, fear, and hate, her eyes bright and fevered with adrenaline. The woman's lips were peeled back in an aggressive snarl, and as violet met blue the Valkyrie growled at the demon. The bronze woman smiled brightly. "If he was asexual, I doubt he be so admirable of a woman's gift. Wouldn't you agree, Valkyrie? Surely no man with even a passing interest in women would pass up such an opportunity, don't you think?"

Something flashed within the Valkyrie's eyes, and Skogul smiled cruelly. "Is that how you conceived your little hell spawn, Daimakaicho Hild?"

The demon lord remained quiet for a long moment, regarding the Valkyrie in thought with a slight frown on her face before turning to Celestine. The woman seemed to puzzle something out in her head, before shrugging carelessly and releasing the man from her grasp, lightly ending the grope session with a shove and sending the god sprawling on the ground. Celestine out of the way, blinking up at a sky that hurt to look at, the Daimakaicho calmly turned to Skogul.

"You are out of place, Valkyrie." Before Skogul could react she was on the ground, clutching her throat and wheezing. The silver-haired demon towered above the warrior, a hand raised and outstretched. Between coughs and hacks, trying desperately to regain her breath, the blond looked up at the demon lord. Her back to the sun, the woman was bathed in shadow, and her eyes seemed to glow an eerie red against the shadow of her flesh. The Daimakaicho frowned. "Be happy I merely silenced you, girl." Hild rumbled. It sounded like a mix between a bear's growl and breaking gravel. "Next time I will take your voice. And I will not give it back. Learn your place, Special-class Skogul."

The woman turned her back to the Valkyrie, the frown disappearing behind a smile as she kneeled at Celestine's side, giving the man an eyeful of certain…assets. A finger moved to wave in front of the woman's chest. "No, not this time Sweetie. My eyes are higher."

Propping himself on his elbows, Celestine brought his gaze up to the Daimakaicho's eyes, a grimace on his face. "I was lead to believe there would be no violence _or_ deceit while on this plane." His voice was trembling, and Hild cocked her head to one side in curiosity.

"There was no deceit." She said. "Merely a man succumbing to temptation. And your pet Valkyrie is fine. I merely rapped her with my knuckles. She will have a bruise-nothing more, nothing less-to remind her to hold her tongue when in the presence of higher entities." She offered him a hand, and Celestine eyed it suspiciously. "I believe a proper introduction is in order. Your little Valkyrie and I have already had the pleasure of meeting once in the past, and I'm certain she's already told you who I am. However, I do not believe I gave you the opportunity to introduce yourself. That was unprofessional of me. I apologize."

_The__ Daimakaicho __just __apologized __to __me. _Bemused and perturbed, Celestine stared gape-jawed at the woman long enough for the demon to frown and wave her hand in his face impatiently. "Come now." She scolded. "I can assure you, there are no blades up my sleeves, no poisons on my palm. You are of no use to me if I kill the messenger."

Celestine stared at the woman in curiosity before reaching out and grabbing the woman's hand, grunting in surprise as, rather than shake his hand and he'd led himself to believe, the Daimakaicho instead hoisted him to his feet. "Ah…Thank you…I think." He said hesitantly, quickly releasing the demon's hand and making himself busy brushing sand and dirt from his robes. "If you don't mind me asking, when did I become a messenger?"

The Daimakaicho-Hild, he recalled Skogul saying-smiled graciously. "Good Sir, anyone who works under _that_ man is his messenger. It matters not his original tasking. Now your name please? I'd like to know the name of the man who is taking custody of my child."

_Custody__…__her__ child? _The man's eyes darted to the youth who'd accompanied the demon and was currently poking Skogul with what looked to be a long strand of petrified sand. The end crumbled to dust when the youth jabbed it into the fallen woman's uniform, dirtying white into an off-color yellow.

Hild followed his gaze. "Urd, leave the Valkyrie alone." She called, and the child looked up from where she crouched. "You're going to be traveling with that woman, if you recall. Best not to irritate her _too_ much." She turned her attention back to Celestine. "You'll have to excuse my daughter. She's a curious girl, but she means no harm. Usually."

"Yes, of course." Celestine agreed distractedly. I-I had not realized the Daimakaicho had a daughter. Please, forgive me." He paused. "Celestine." He said, recalling her earlier words. "Deity first-class, second-category limited, Celestine. The Almighty sent me to...ah…"

"Retrieve Urd?" Hild finished for him, an amused smile gracing her features. "Really Celestine, it's alright. Feel free to speak bluntly. We both know why you're here." She paused examining him for a moment with those inhuman violet eyes of hers. "Or perhaps you don't. You seem uncomfortable with the knowledge that the person you were sent to retrieve was my offspring." She tilted her head to one side in curiosity. "Did _that_ man not tell you who it was he was sending you to retrieve?"

Celestine bristled at her tone. "If you are referring to the Almighty, than no, He did not. He merely entrusted to me a mission of the utmost secrecy."

Something flickered behind those violet eyes, and the bronze woman frowned with dismay. "I see." She said. "How depressing. He does not trust himself to meet with me personally and so he sends a clueless dog to do his bidding instead. How cowardly." The frown deepened. "Be wary of such blind loyalty, Celestine. It may one day lead to your demise." The frown brightened into a smile before the man had a chance to respond. "However, I do see why he sent you. I think I'm starting to like you."

The demon stepped towards him, and a bronze arm bedecked in bracelets, bands, and rings wrapped around the deity's shoulders. "Perhaps rather than simply give you Urd I shall make a trade instead. With that Valkyrie, I am thinking. She seems to like you little enough." Hild said softly. "You for Urd." The woman's voice rose louder for the others to hear. "She can leave with Urd and I can take you back to Niflheim with me for my own pleasure." The woman leered at him from the corner of one violet eye. "What do you think?"

"Mo-_om_!" The youth seemed rather upset at the idea, glaring violet eyes close to matching the Daimakaicho's darting between Celestine and the demon. "I'm not letting you trade me for anything! I'm not a bicorn, I'm a demon!" The youth grabbed at the woman's dress, and the Daimakaicho smiled, ruffling the girl's short hair affectionately.

"That you are, Dearheart. That you are…"

The child wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the idea, either. Panicked, Celestine slipped out from beneath the arm wrapped around his shoulders. "Lady Daimakaicho, I really don't think-"

Hild cut him off with a sharp bark of laughter. "So easy to tease." She cooed. "So easy to _corrupt_." The woman looked the deity straight in the eyes, and Celestine felt him die a little inside. There was no humor in her eyes. Only a deadly calculation that sent a shiver down the deity's spine.

"That's enough, Daimakaicho Hild." A voice rasped, and Celestine's eyes darted to one side, coming to rest on Skogul. With a grimace, the woman picked herself up, glaring at the demon lord all the while as the youth darted back to her mother's side. "No one is trading anything for anyone. We're here to deliver your girl to the Almighty. That is all."

The silver-haired woman glanced at the Valkyrie from the corner of one violet orb. "Spoil sport." She muttered, before shrugging her shoulders with a resigned sigh. "Fine, fine, if you must spoil my fun, so be it." The woman pointed a dark finger to Celestine. "However I want a promise from the man who is to be taking my only child. _That _man will not care for her. Which makes _you _responsible for her well being. I want you to promise that if I hand my daughter over to you, that you will do everything in her best interests to care for her. Is that understood?"

Skogul bristled. "He doesn't need to promise anything to you, demon."

Hild shot the woman a grin. "No more than I need to give you my daughter." The child at her side pressed into her leg, and the demon lord rested a dark hand on the girl's bright hair. "For I'd sooner kill you both than trust the life of my child to a deity who won't look out for her best interests."

"Kill?" Celestine choked out, growing tense as the Daimakaicho regarded him with cool violet eyes. "But didn't you just-"

"I said I wouldn't kill the messenger. Not that I wouldn't kill the irresponsible deity I was sending my daughter to the heavens with. In that regard your death would serve the place of the messenger for _that_ man. I refuse to send my girl away with someone I can't trust." The bronze woman thrust her face in front of Celestine's, causing the man to stumble back. "In killing one who I believe sub-par to my standards, perhaps _that _man will put more effort and thought into who might be a more capable guardian."

A mental curse wormed its way through Celestine's mind. _This __woman __says__ one __thing __one __moment __and __then __says __the __exact __opposite __the __next. __It __is __no __wonder__ the __demon __race __cannot __be __trusted!_

"You would attack us knowing that you run the risk of drawing the denizens of this plain?" Skogul hissed, drawing the Daimakaicho's gaze towards the warrior. "You fought here just as I during the old wars. You _know_ what resides here!"

The dark woman raised an eyebrow. "Thoughtforms and ghosts." She responded coolly, waving a hand dismissively. "Little more than phantoms and negative, residual emotional energy brought to life by the magic that is so heavy within this realm. Perhaps if I were some minor demon they would pose a threat. But such creatures sense power, and they know to leave the stronger ones alone."

The warrior glared at the demon angrily. "Then why do we meet here?" She demanded. "The reason this place is a neutral area is because neither side is willing to attack the other! Do you expect us to continue negotiations with you if we cannot feel safe with the knowledge you would attack us?"

The Daimakaicho smiled. "Fear not little Valkyrie. The demons sent to negotiate with your counterparts are just as unwilling to cause strife on this plain as you are. After all, trust is very important amongst demons, especially when negotiating for the life of one of our own. If one side is unwilling to trust the word of the other, nothing would ever be accomplished on either side, don't you agree? However this time, the circumstances are vastly different. If the individual to go the heavens was anyone other than my daughter, you would not be speaking to me. Now about that promise…"

_Trust __must __not __be__ all __that __important __in __your __culture __than,__ Daimakaicho. _Celestine thought, as the woman's gaze slid back to him. _Not __when __you __continuously __change __the __rules __of __the __game__ to __your __liking. __Trust __must __be __earned __in__ the __heavens,__ not __taken__ with __threats __and __promises__ made__ in __fear. _The dark-haired man raised his hands as if to ward off an incoming blow. "Daimakaicho, I can't promise what you're asking of me!" He cried. "I understand your concern for your daughter's safety; however I have no authority over your daughter once we reach the heavens. Her care will fall immediately to whomever the Almighty deems best qualified to watch over her!"

"Then you'd best do your hardest to meet _that_ man's qualifications, wouldn't you agree?" The demon countered. Her smile was vicious. "I'm sure he'd understand based on the circumstances you're being placed under. Either agree to my demands and hold true to your promise as a first-class deity, or I kill you and your pet Valkyrie here and now and stick your heads on pikes as a warning to the Almighty and any who would deceive the Daimakaicho." The woman's eyes narrowed. "I will not play _that_ man's games nor dance to his tune. He made lead this time, but the music will be of _my_ choosing."

A foreboding silence descended on the group as the Daimakaicho fell quiet, her eyes, sharp and piercing, never once leaving his.

"The choice is yours, Celestine."

Twenty minutes later found a group of three departing a deserted landscape, steadily making their way to where the _Chimera_ rested. The creature hissed at their approach, nostrils flaring in an angry snort and tail flicking aggressively as the trio drew near. It rose from where it had lain watching them, and at his side Celestine heard a quick intake of breathe as the beast rose to its full height.

"What _is_ it?"

_It_ stood as tall as four men standing on each other's shoulders and two men wide. Its face was human, lined with eyes of split gold and whiskers that sprouted from cheeks and where a human's brow should have rested. A mane of shaggy feathers framed the face, and jackal ears protruded from the top of its forehead. What might have been a helmet rested on top its brow, holes punched through the top to allow the ears room to move.

Its body was thick and muscular, its chest the black-striped hide of a tiger that gradually slimmed and darkened into the hindquarters of a wolf before finally ending in a long tail that curled up above the creature's body, the tip a large, yellow thorn that protruded like an ugly volcano from the tail's end. Its body was decked in brown: brown flesh, brown fur, brown feathers, and separated only by a long and angry red-on-yellow stripe that wove its way around the beast's entire body. Silver plates of metalwork lay interwoven in the creature's body, covering forearms and hind legs and even its tail to some extent. Metallic spikes arose at an angle across the creature's spine, the spires sharp and jagged and framing a platform that rested on the armor that covered the creature's sides.

The deity looked down to the child latched onto his wrist, yet the girl was too busy staring at the _Chimera_ to notice his look. The youth-Urd, he reminded himself-beheld the creature with excited violet eyes, a large grin filled with white teeth that contrasted sharply against her dark skin. "It's a _Chimera_." Celestine explained, drawing the girl's wide-eyed gaze to himself. "A creature as much beast as machine." He pointed to the steel ridges that covered the beast's legs and chest like armor, symmetrical lines flowing with blue energy seeming to rise from the earth and travel up the creature's legs like veins. "Do you see the blue? It draws strength from the land it rests on. Magic gives it life. Do you see how bright the blue is? It shows how much magic is imbedded within the earth here."

Skogul marched past them, one hand resting on the flat end of her ax. "And do you see how she arches her back like that, little demon?" She asked in passing. "She smells you on the breeze. Your scent makes her anxious. Keep back until I've settled her, or there will be one less demon in the world."

"Skogul…" Celestine warned, and the woman looked over her shoulder, flashing him a smile.

"I speak only the truth, Celestine. You know that." Turning away the woman brought her fingers to her lips, bringing forth a sharp whistle that caused the child to visibly wince.

The deity glared at the Valkyrie's back as the _Chimera _lowered its body once more, allowing the warrior to scale the metal plates connected to its arms and climb to the beast's back. A low rumble arose from its throat, and it took a moment for Celestine to realize the creature was purring.

"What does she mean?"

Celestine frowned. "_Chimeras_ are war-steeds, designed by Valkyries for Valkyries. They are artificial creatures pieced together from different animals and fused with machinery and magic. The Valkyries train them to dislike the smell of demons, so that they won't lose track of who is friend and who is foe in times of war. The one before us now belongs to Skogul and will be the one to bare us back to the Heavens."

The girl scowled. "Mama always said Valkyries rode horses into battle."

From above their heads Skogul gave a great laugh. "You're mother is misinformed, Child. Horses are from times of old." The woman called down to them. "They die too swiftly and spook too easily. We only ride them as show-beasts now." The duo looked up, watching as the woman leaned against the great beast's feathered neck, her hand disappearing within the feathery down as she scratched the behemoth affectionately. "_Chimeras_ do not spook though. And if they fall apart, we rebuild them with more metal." With one final pat, she walked along the beast's spine, gripping the large steel spires for support and motioning them towards the creature's tail. "Soon there will come a time when we'll have advanced enough in technology that our steeds will be beasts in name only-we shall ride on metal beasts powered by magic, with no need of years of training from their handlers."

Celestine guided the child around the beast and to its rear, where the _Chimera__'__s _tail had been lowered to the ground. "Mind the stinger." He warned, pointing to the barb that protruded from the tail's end. "I've heard the poison is rather potent, and no one wants you injured before we even reach the heavens."

The tail was long and segmented, a furless scorpion's tail with interlacing blue runes radiating a heat all their own. The barb on the end was a dirty yellow, a heavy contrast from the dark brown that proved to be the creature's primary coloring. It had to be as large as the girl was wide.

Regardless, the girl approached the tail fearlessly. "Poison doesn't bother me anymore. Not after the Serpent's venom." She said simply, eyeing the barb in curiosity before climbing atop the tail and crawling upwards, one segment at a time.

Celestine stared at the girl's retreating back in astonishment, wondering what she meant in regards to snake venom. "_This _is the Daimakaicho's daughter." He said to himself. "Just what have I gotten myself into?" _Dead __man __walking._A voice snickered in his mind, and Celestine sighed as he climbed the tail after the child. "Isn't that the truth." He muttered. "As if I'm not on enough deities shitlists. Skogul, Macha, and now the Almighty once He learns the latest news…and perhaps the Daimakaicho as well, if I'm unable to keep an eye on her daughter as I promised." He shook his head mournfully. "Especially after the discord that arose after I was chosen by the Almighty Himself to mentor His only daughter. I can only pray the both of them don't kill each other."

From where she stood on the canyon, Hild watched as the monstrosity turned and lumbered off, bearing with it deities and one lone little demon. A wind blew up from the south, carrying her scent to the creature below. The Daimakaicho watched as the beast snapped wildly at the air, a growl loud enough that the demon could hear it despite the distance separating the two from each other. Violet eyes narrowed, yet otherwise the dark woman did nothing, watching in silence as the Valkyrie that was the creature's handler easily regained control over her mount.

* * *

"Mara."

From the shadows the man seemed to arise, slipping through the cracks and nooks of boulders and appearing at the silver-haired woman's side, quiet as a ghost. Though her eyes remained centered on the beast, the woman addressed him. "How is Marller recovering?"

"Well, Ma'am." She could hear the weariness in his voice, and Hild felt herself nod, her mind a million miles away.

"And how long will it be before she has recovered enough to train?"

The man didn't respond at first, and the bronze woman could feel his red eyes boring into her back. Anger perhaps? No, his gaze felt cooler. Contemplation. He was trying to guess her actions. "…Two weeks, Ma'am. She whines about her arm still. That it still burns." He fell silent once more, and Hild held her peace, sensing more from the man. "…She complains of voices, Hild. Voices that are not her own. Male voices." Another pause. "One of them, the loudest she claims, is female."

Hild nodded once more. "Speak with Ose when we return. He will help with the voices as well as provide guidance with any other…issues that might arise. When she is fully recovered I want him to take over her lessons in magic. He holds a better grasp on it than you, and with Marller the way she is now…" The woman trailed off, realizing she was beginning to think aloud. "It will be easier for her to learn from someone whom she can relate to now."

A grunt from the Slayer, one that sounded more irritated than agreeable. Hild bit back a grin. "Fear not, Mara, you'll still be responsible for the majority of your heir's training. Once she's recovered enough for your liking, I want you and Ose to bring her here. Bring her to Purgatory, and get as close to the borders of the heavens as you dare, and start training her."

Something that sounded like a growl rumbled in the back of the demon's throat. "You speak broadly, Daimakaicho. There is much I could teach her in such a dead land as Purgatory." She heard him take a step towards her. "What specifically do you wish me to train her in? What _exactly _do you have planned for my grandchild, Hild?"

The beast was a distant speck against the horizon now, yet still the bronze woman found her gaze centered on it, as though if she stared hard enough and looked long enough her eyes might become like an eagle's, strong and sharp and capable of making out the silver head of her daughter. It was foolish, she knew-her's were more akin to serpents than eagles, and eagles were never to be trusted, as she'd learned with _that_ man-yet still she found herself seeking the raptor's vision. "Teach her everything Mara. To live off a wasteland. To blend in with her surroundings. Hide in plain sight. Watch. Listen. Teach her to _survive_, Mara." The beast was gone now, and the Daimakaicho closed her eyes, rubbing them with one hand. They burned from the strain of watching the retreating beast, so she told herself, and behind her eyelids she could still see the imprint of her daughter's face. "I have plans for that girl's future. And I want her to be prepared when those plans come to fruition."

The silver-haired woman sucked in a deep breath, releasing it in a long, drawn out sigh. Allowing her hand to drop to her side, Hild turned away from the canyon and south, towards Mara. Towards the hells and Niflheim. She felt ancient, and her face must have showed it, for something almost like concern flashed across Mara's weathered face. It was gone as quickly as it came, and so Hild grinned; a half-smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Come. Walk with me Mara." The woman began to traverse down the canyon, away from the heavens and their eagles, beasts and their Valkyries, deities and the children they stole from mothers. The Slayer fell in step at her side, watching the Daimakaicho from the corner of one red eye. They walked in silence for a time before Hild finally spoke.

"I have a question for you Mara."

The man grunted, and Hild continued. "You have lost a daughter before, have you not?"

For a moment, the man froze mid-step, his stance growing rigid before the Slayer forced himself onwards. "Yes. Yes I have." He said slowly. "It happened some time after the Buddha." The man scowled bitterly. "A bad year for my tribe. One daughter disgraced by an affair with a Jotun, another fearing for the life of herself and her unborn child as the final died in bed during childbirth." He shook his head.

Hild nodded absently. "Yes, I remember now. The halls whispered your daughters cursed. The women wouldn't go near you or your kin for fear of growing barren at your touch." The bronze woman deliberately ignored the warning growl that arose from the dark man, continuing as if she'd never heard it. "There is a pain in my chest, Mara. One so great it feels as though I might collapse at any moment, yet also fills me with an anger so acute, I might tear the world to shreds." The woman trailed off, sending a sidelong glance towards the demon at her side. "You know this pain, do you not?"

A deep rumble arose from the demon's chest, and almost reluctantly the man nodded. A bitter grin arose on the Daimakaicho's face, and the woman looked down, watching as feet covered in light sand traversed the crumbling landscape beneath them. "Tell me Mara…this pain-this…burning…in my chest…will it ever stop?" The woman brought a bejeweled hand to her breast, touching it gently.

Mara stopped abruptly, and after a couple steps Hild did as well, turning and looking back at her companion. Mara stared at her, his face stone as the dark-haired man observed her. Hild returned his gaze with one as equally expressionless, waiting for his response. After a long moment the old warrior released a sigh and shook his head. "There are times," he began, "when I look at you and forget that you are older than me. Older by far. Then there are times when I see a creature older than the dirt beneath my feet, and I wonder why it is one so ancient comes to me for advice." He admitted, approaching the Daimakaicho and resting a tan hand on her shoulder.

His skin was lighter than hers, even after so many years under Niflheim's hot sun; his flesh was nowhere near as dark as hers. "And then I remind myself that for all your age and all your experience, you are as young as you look in regards to _living_." He shook his head. "The pain in your chest will never leave. Not if you care for her as much as I believe you to. However given enough time it will lessen. How much and how quickly is all dependent on how soon you choose to accept the fact that Urd is no longer a part of your life."

Hild visibly flinched at the mention of her daughter, and Mara patted her shoulder before letting it fall to his side. The silver haired demon gave him a weak smile. "I don't know whether to take half your words as an insult or a compliment, Mara. You realize that, don't you?" She shook her head, bemused, before rubbing her eyes with the palm of one hand. Her eyes were stinging again. "Come, enough of this chatter. The others are waiting for us."

* * *

"Stay close to me, Urd." There was a gnawing pit in Celestine's stomach that would not go away, one that grew the closer they came to the Almighty's conference room. It was nerves, he knew or rather, he hoped, that caused his gut to twist so violently with anxiety. The man gave a quick glance to the child at his side. In comparison to Celestine, the youth showed no outward signs of tension, and her unusual violet orbs went from one item of interest to the next, be it a deity or an engraving in a wall, uncaring of who or what might return her stare. _The __joys __of __childhood. _Celestine thought enviously. _What __I __wouldn__'__t __give __to __lack __the __information __of __the __ones __whom __we __approach, __to__ lack __the __anxiety __that __fills __me __with __bearing __such __news__ to __the __Almighty H__imself._

Or at least to have someone there to watch his back. Skogul had departed quickly after delivering them outside the gates to the building they walked through now. _I__ need__ to__ debrief__ with__ my__ unit_. She'd told them. _It__'__s __mandatory.__ There__ are __things__ they __need__ to __know._ Celestine could only guess what those 'things' were after their meeting with the Daimakaicho. Another thing he was not looking forward to sharing with the Almighty.

The woman had also used the excuse of tending to her beast. Skogul had claimed her _Chimera _was under an unnecessary amount of stress baring the small demon child and needed to be calmed. Celestine hadn't been able to see any undue change in the creature's attitude anymore than Urd, yet the Valkyrie had been rather insistent. "_You__ can__ dress__ a __demon __up__ in__ pretty __clothes __and__ spray__ it__ with__ perfume.__ Teach__ it__ etiquette__ and__ courtesies __and__ educate__ it,__ but__ that__ doesn__'__t __make__ it__ any__ less__ a__ demon._ Chimeras _know__ that.__ It__'__s __why__ they__'__re__ so__ good__ at__ their__ job._"

And so instead he found himself with only the demon child for companionship, walking hand-in-hand down what felt like an infinitely long hallway, one that seemed to stretch on for all eternity. To his left and to his right doors sprouted occasionally, as white as fresh cream with elegant designs of roses and beasts. Occasionally they came across another deity exiting one of the doors, and every time the god would stop and watch in open curiosity as they passed. They weren't fools. They knew what the red of the girl's sigil meant.

"Hey, 'Stine." The deity looked down to the child holding his hand. He'd formally introduced himself to the young demon child on the ride back with Skogul, yet for whatever reason the child had trouble pronouncing his name properly. Even the little 'pet name', as Skogul called, had a thick accent to it that made the vowels come off thick and sharp to his ears. He had to bite his tongue to correct the girl on the spot. "When am I going to meet my father and sister?"

The man did a double take, blinking at the silver-haired youth with dark eyes as his mind gradually worked its way through the accent and to the meaning within. Father? Sister? The child held divine blood in her veins? "I…can't say, Urd." He replied. "Such a choice is not up to me. I was only instructed to bring you to the Almighty and His council." It could be a lie. One devised by the Daimakaicho to explain to her daughter why she was leaving. How cruel. _And__ if __it__'__s__ not __a __lie?_ A voice whispered in his ear, causing the deity to frown. He didn't have an answer for that.

The girl at his side matched his frown with one of her own. "I didn't come here to meet with the eagle though." She said, and Celestine was surprised to hear a hint of anger in her voice. "I don't like birds. They give me bad dreams and Nidhogg says they like to eat snakes. Ma-The Daimakaicho said I was going to meet my father and my sister, and that I was going to stay with them."

"Nidhogg?" Celestine knew the name. The Corpse Eater, it was the main computer system that resided within Niflheim. Supposedly it was Yggdrasil's counterpart. Yet he'd never heard anyone ever mentioning the system being sentient.

Immediately the bronze child grew tense. "I'm not supposed to say." She said, her back stiff and her expression wary.

_She __said __something__ she __shouldn't have__. _A voice teased. "Did your mother tell you not to speak of it?"

The youth hesitated for a moment and then quickly shook her head. She didn't elaborate any more on the subject, however.

Celestine gave the youth a curious stare, watching as the silver-haired youth fidgeted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. When the girl looked ready to rip her hand from his grasp, however, the man allowed his gaze to drop, sensing the tension ease minutely from the girl's body. Whatever the reason, he'd have time enough to get it out of the child later, if the Daimakaicho's instructions were to be followed. _I __just __hope __the __Almighty __sees __the __reasoning __behind __it. __The __Heavens__ know __the __Daimakaicho __is__ not__ above __assassination __attempts._

In front of them, the hallway was coming to an end in the form of a pair of elaborately designed doors the color of cream. Floral designs and vines lay engraved upon the marble the doors were made of, and a pair of vines protruded from the engraving curled outwards to form the handles of the doors. A soft, gentle blue glow illuminated various petals on the walls, and as they drew closer the source of light revealed itself to be a never ending line of _ogham_, trailing one vine and leading into another to completely cover the engravings.

The _ogham _flashed brightly at the duo's approach, and a section of the left door bulged violently before imploding on itself, leaving behind a smooth, flat panel. An image of a featureless person appeared on the panel, and from the door an androgynous voice addressed the two guests. "First-class deity Celestine. Urd. We have been awaiting your arrival." The person greeted. "Please enter and be greeted." The stranger vanished, and Celestine gently guided his younger companion back as the doors creaked open.

"Be on your best behavior." Celestine advised. "Treat the people we're about to meet as you would your mother and her council. They can all be compared to holding a rank very similar to theirs." The youth said nothing, simply stared at the deity expectantly, and so with a deep breath Celestine guided them inside the chamber.

The room within was large. A great dome, three rows of benches wrapped around the rooms perimeter, and within each seat a deity observed them. Across from the doors Celestine and Urd had entered through and directly in front of them, a great throne rested, its back pale and tall and covered in rosettes and stars. It's back was large enough that it seemed to dwarf the man resting in it, observing the duo with calculating blue eyes. To his left a girl stood, adorned in a pale dress lined with gentle brown patterns that highlighted her chestnut hair. Hands clasped behind her back, the youth couldn't have been any older than Urd; perhaps even younger. She met Celestine's dark eyes with a pair of blue the color of the sky, and her face broke into a beaming smile.

Celestine blinked at the youth in surprise. Though he'd only been introduced to the girl that was his student yesterday, he hadn't expected to see her again so soon. Especially standing at the side of one of the Almighty's more human avatars. _"__When __am__ I __going__ to __meet __my __father __and __my __sister?__"_

The room had fallen silent upon their entrance, and it took a moment for Celestine to realize they were waiting on him. Releasing Urd's hand, the deity stepped forward, sweeping an arm across his chest and stooping into a deep bow before the man on the throne. "My Lord," he began. "May I, First-class, second-category limited Celestine of the Morning Star present to you-"

"Urd, Firstborn of Daimakaicho Hild, Lightning-Speaker and Devil-Renderer, as dubbed by the Corpse Eater." Urd moved several steps in front of the deity, and before Celestine could even think to stop her the child was already dipping to one knee, hand placed over her heart and head bowed in submission before the Almighty. _A__ demon__'__s __bow. __To __show __fealty __and __submission __to__ the __one __they__ see __as __above __them. __Bending __the __knee __to __bring __herself __closer __to __the __earth, __akin __to __groveling. __Hand__ over __the __heart __shows __loyalty __to __the __higher __being,__ and __bowing __her __head__ so __as __not __to __meet __His __gaze, __showing __that __she__ doesn__'__t __challenge __His __authority. _And just as quickly as she fell the child arose once more, her gaze straight and direct at the Almighty. _She__ doesn__'__t__ meet __his__ gaze__ though__… _

"I was instructed by the Daimakaicho to meet with a man who was to be my father and his child who was to be my sister," The girl continued without pause, "and that if this would not be done then to stay with the one assigned as my guardian."

She pointed to Celestine, and the man mentally cursed. _The__ child__ needs __to __be __shutting __up __now!__ This __should __not __be __heard __coming __from__ her __mouth!_

_And __just __what __were __you __expecting, __Celestine? _Soulful Elation chirped in the back of his mind. _She __is __the __daughter__ of __a __Demon__ Lord, __one __of, __if __not __the __most __powerful __ones __to __walk __the nine __Hells. __Did __you__ expect __her __to __let __a __stranger __speak __on__ her __behalf?__ You__ told __her__ to __treat __our __gracious __host __as __she __would__ her __mother__ and __the __Daimakaicho__'__s __council. __She __even __addresses __herself __with__ a __title, __as __would__ any __grown __man __or __woman __in __the __presence __of __such __a __council. __How __do __we __know__ she__'__s __not __doing__ exactly __that?_

_But __to __speak __so __bluntly __before__ the__ Almighty __Himself? _Celestine countered. _And __she__ is __but __a __child! __No __one __so __young __should __be __addressing__ herself__ with__ such__ titles, __regardless__ of __who __granted __them__ to __her. __Is__ the __girl __so __arrogant __to __believe __herself __grown __in__ the __eyes __of __all __those __present?_

The Almighty's gaze shifted from Urd to Celestine, and the deity had to fight the urge to stammer out an explanation on the spot. "Is this true?" The man asked, his voice a deep and gentle rumble that seemed to rise from the man's chest before exiting his throat. His blue eyes were inquisitive, yet non-judgmental, and Celestine felt his knees weaken in relief.

_This __girl __may__ be __the __end__ of __me __if __she__ doesn__'__t __learn __some __discipline._ Aloud he said, "It is, my Lord. It was the Daimakaicho herself who greeted Special-class Valkyrie Skogul and I within Purgatory, and the Demon Lord refused to part from her child until I pledged myself as the child's caretaker." As Celestine fell silent once more, a low murmur arose in the room.

_Yggdrasil, __please __let __her __sister__ be __here. _Hoping against hope, the man allowed his eyes to roam the stands of deities, hoping against hope to see the black head of Badb Catha staring down at him. He saw many deities. Hathor, dark skinned and horned, her eyes painted black, sat next to Osiris, similarly painted and dressed with a crown of feathers. The three-legged raven Yatagarasu stood perched where Amataratsu would have normally sat, and as Izanagi whispered something to it behind a hand it cawed irritably. Zeus looked more amused than irritated, and he lightly jabbed an elbow into Odin's side, who grunted and sent the man a look, but otherwise said nothing. Several of the more wild and rambunctious Western deities, many of whom resembled more beasts then men, whispered and pointed wildly amongst themselves and annoying more than a fair share of deities Celestine was unfamiliar with.

Macha looked to be one of the few who could ignore the rambunctious crowd, sitting in-between a yipping man draped in a coyote's skin and a woman with a pair of cow's horns sprouting from within her wild, silver-blonde hair . Her eyes were glued on Celestine, much to the man's dismay, and as he met her gaze a red eyebrow raised in question. The deity let his gaze drop. _Of __course __she__'__d __be __here __you __dolt. __She__'__s __oldest __of __the __Morrigan __Sisters-if __any __Valkyrie __representative__ were__ to __attend __a __meeting, __it__'__d __be __her._ Badb Catha must be listening to Skogul's debrief then.

The Almighty raised a hand, and the deities fell into an uneasy silence. The man leaned forward in interest, resting his elbows on his legs. "The Daimakaicho herself made you promise to look after the child?" He inquired.

Celestine nodded. "Yes, my Lord. Had I not agreed to her demands, she'd have killed Special-class Skogul and myself without a second thought."

The murmur rose again, and once more the Almighty gestured for silence. "And what should happen if this promise were to be broken?"

The deity bowed his head. "I have little doubt in my mind that the Daimakaicho would discover such treachery, my Lord. And should that happen, it is doubtless that she would have me killed, be it through infiltration or assassination."

The Avatar nodded, slowly leaning back into his throne, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I see." He murmured. "You are a brave man, Celestine, to give such a vow to one so dangerous. Yet in order to complete the assignment I tasked you, you risked your own life so that you might bring this child," he gestured to Urd, who bristled irritably, "into our realm. For that I commend your courage." The man grinned. "We shall do as the Daimakaicho so bids." He said. "Risking one man's life to provoke the Daimakaicho is unwise, and I will not have any deity murdered for some such folly as the responsibility of a child."

The surrounding deities broke into an uproar, the cries so loud the Celestine could scarcely tell if they were in support for or against the Almighty's decision. The man ignored it, rising from his seat and gesturing to the child at His side. The youth took the offered hand, and together man and child descended the few steps leading up to the throne. Together, the duo approached Urd, whom kept her gaze undirected, focusing on the Almighty's chest when he stepped into the girl's line of sight.

The man directed a sapphire-hued gaze down to the child whose hand lay clasped in his. "Belldandy, I would like for you to meet someone very important." He said, surprising everyone in the room as he released the girl's hand and kneeled before the darker demon child. A hush fell upon their audience, and the silver-haired youth fidgeted uncomfortably, going so far as to even take a step away from the tall man only to bump into Celestine's legs.

The girl looked up at the older deity with a frown. "Urd." The Almighty said, and with one more look at Celestine, the child redirected her attention to the duo before her. A hand reached out and gently cupped the girl's cheek, raising the bronze child's chin up to meet His gaze. His thumb gently stroked the youth's cheek, and for those with a sharp eye, it seemed the triangular, red sigel he rubbed faded to blue, as though the Almighty were wiping dirt from the girl's face.

"Urd, Firstborn of Daimakaicho Hild, Lightning-Speaker and Devil-Renderer, as dubbed by the Corpse Eater," He addressed the girl by her full title, surprising the youth and causing the girl to give the Almighty a queer look. "I want you to meet your sister." Though his voice was soft, it seemed to stretch within the room, and Celestine could not help but notice several deities leaning so far over their tables they looked like they might fall off at any given moment. Ignorant or ignoring the beings, the Almighty wrapped his free arm around Belldandy's waist and guided the child close. "Welcome home, my child."

Surprise spread across the brunette's face like a sunrise. "Sister?" The girl asked, her head tipping to one side in curiosity, only to be broken by a large smile that seemed to split Belldandy's face in two. "I have a sister!" With a crow the girl all but leaped upon the dark youth. "Welcome home, Big Sister!" Her arms went around the silver-haired child's neck, and before Urd could react together the girls were embraced by the Almighty.

Watching the trio with eyes the size of saucer plates, one thought rolled through Celestine's mind. _You__'__ve __got __to __be __shitting __me._

And with a child's cry and a father's embrace, the room erupted into chaos.

* * *

_Comments__ of__ a __Madwoman: __And __so__ I__ finally__ get __around__ to__ Origins__ once __more. __You__ know,__ after __writing__ '__Scapegoat__'__,__ I __really __came__ to __enjoy __the __Celestine __I __had __portrayed __towards__ the __end. __This __Celestine __is __obviously __a__ bit __younger__ and__ lesser__ experienced, __and__ it__ will __be __fun__ seeing __him__ develop __as __time__ progresses. Expect to see things from his perspective the more time passes, as he actually plays a major role in the heavenly arch.  
_


	14. Hyenas, Pinecones, and the Red Crow

Origins 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

_Firstborn of the Daimakaicho. Firstborn of the Almighty._ The knowledge still made his head ache, and so despite himself, Celestine reached out to grab the hand railing, leaning heavily on the painted metal as one hand ran through his thick black hair. _And for Him to speak of it so casually, as though it was the most natural thing in the world!_ The insanity that had risen within the conference room at the revelation still echoed in his ears. Shouts, screams, denials, arguments…it was no wonder the Almighty had dismissed the children and him. Such was not a place for children. _I don't even think it was a place for me._

"Are you alright?"

The man straightened, turning and finding a woman at his side, her gaze ripe with concern. The deity blinked at the woman in surprise, wondering how she'd managed to sneak up on him so quietly with the large amount of jewelry that adorned her body. Gold chains looped around her neck and strings of beads and pearls fell between her breasts, and they sang softly whenever the woman moved. Her dress was long and flowing, a light tan with gold trim tracing up and down the base of the dress and sleeves that fell just past her elbows, with a vest of gold inlaid with silver ringlets that proved long enough to fall to her hips. Bangles and bracelets adorned her wrists, tinking and ringing against each other when they touched, and her hands were adorned in as many rings as seemed possible to hold on her fingers.

It took Celestine a moment to recognize Ostara. Again, someone he'd only been introduced to recently, the man had only just begun to put a face to a name. Today Ostara had her brown hair pinned up, and the face paint that covered her skin and aligned her hazel eyes caught Celestine off-guard. This was not the same woman he'd been introduced to in a garden, dressed as much in dirt as clothes and methodically pushing seeds into the earth.

The man smiled wanly before stooping into a deep bow. "Lady Ostara, I hope you'll forgive me for not greeting you sooner. I did not see your approach."

The woman regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "Celestine, stop with the niceties." She said bluntly. "You look pale enough that I fear you might feint, and I'll not have you passing out on me because you chose to go by ways of proper etiquette and bow to me, only to crack your head open on the cement. Now I asked you a question, one that had little to do with greetings, and in case you misheard me, I'll say it again. Are you alright?"

The man mentally winced. _Is she always so blunt, or do I just inspire that much concern in her?_ He chuckled softly. "I am fine, Lady Ostara, I can assure you. I am just having a little trouble moving past the shock of the Almighty's recent…announcement." The deity fell silent, observing his companion carefully.

The brunette narrowed her eyes at him, and Celestine was giving the immediate impression of his own mother glaring at him, calling him out for speaking bullshit with only a look. And it wasn't as though the deity _wasn't_ telling the truth. He was, regardless of what the woman before him thought. Yet Celestine was no fool. Fools weren't promoted to the rank of first-class, regardless of the limitations set on the license, and one did not become a first-class deity without learning a little something called tact.

And one would learn to best use such a gift when conversing with the consort of the Almighty.

Ostara was a mother goddess, perhaps one of the oldest still worshiped within the lower plains. And as Celestine had learned, with age came a great deal of power, and while he'd never witnessed any events himself, he'd heard multiple times throughout his life of the goddess performing one great feat after another. As the man had come to learn upon first meeting her, the brunette was blunt and crass, quick to voice her opinion regardless of who wanted to hear it.

A goddess of fertility, Celestine had first seen her stooped over a large acre of land, a basket of seeds on her back and dirt and soil on her face and dress, bare of even earrings to show her as a deity. He'd accidentally mistaken her for a mad earth spirit under Ostara's employment when he'd first seen the woman, for she worked without pause nor help, muttering to herself all the while as one hand would rise to the basket at her back, pluck out a healthy seed, and burrow it into a hole in the earth with a thumb so covered in soil it was black. That was until he'd seen the rate at which the saplings began to spring up behind her and grow, their growth so fast that by the time Ostara had moved to her third seed the first was a full grown crop ready to harvest. Pomegranates had been the main crop that day. For Persephone, a far-off cousin who'd developed a taste for them in her years with her spouse. The next day apples, and after that, corn.

Now however, seeing her dressed in such finery, Celestine could only wonder who was tending those many acres of land. The man coughed lightly into his hand, tapping the hand rail anxiously. "So…" He began, "If you don't mind my speaking, Lady, it's a surprise to see you here. I didn't see you in the conference room."

The woman snorted. "I have better things to waste my time on than political games, Celestine." The woman moved to walk, sending the younger deity a pointed look that sent the man hurrying after her. When he moved to walk by her side, the woman continued. "Just who do you think brought Belldandy here to meet this 'sister' of hers? Slepnir? Certainly not you, Mr. Mentor, judging by how you brought this alleged sister to my husband's council."

Her tone was condescending, and despite having worked under the Almighty's direct orders, Celestine felt a lump of guilt rise in his stomach. _All she's missing is the finger wag and she'll have my mother down perfectly. _The man thought in disdain, and the man took a deep breath. _Take it easy and count to ten, Cel. She can't help it and you know it. She's a mother, both literally and figuratively._

They were walking through a garden, though Celestine would have compared it more to an overly-large, highly-advanced greenhouse than a garden. The entirety of it was in one of the rooms on the upper floor of the council building, protruding out and away from the main building to allow the flora within a generous amount of sun without having to worry about shadows from skyscrapers. The design was ingenious, consisting of an ultra-thin crystal dome that surrounded the garden in place of glass. It was near-invisible unless one grew close enough to make out the light reflection on its surface, and the crystal was composed of a mineral so light that it imitated the environment outside the dome with none of the dangerous elements that could be found so high up. The sheets of crystal were supported by long, curving beams of metal that sloped and rose in long, gently curling domes.

The material was strong enough to keep wind and rain out, yet thin enough that Celestine could see birds flying in and out of the dome, the crystal warping gently where sparrows and songbirds glided through, and their songs filled the garden, mixing with the shouts and laughter of children. It had seemed like a safe enough place to bring Urd and his new student, Belldandy. Though the dark child had been initially hesitant to venture into the garden with her newly-proclaimed 'sister', Belldandy's open nature eventually won the girl over, and the two had ended up racing off from one adventure to the next.

"Lady Ostara, I'm sorry but I was told I was not to officially take over duties as her mentor until the start of the next week." Celestine replied. "If not for that and the task the Almighty assigned me, I'd have gladly brought Belldandy wherever it was she needed to go. I hope you realize that."

The laughter within the garden grew louder, and from one of the bushes a child sprang forth, twigs and stick in her hair and her knees covered in dirt. Belldandy shrieked in laughter as she took one look at Celestine and Ostara before bolting to the left and towards the trees. The child scampered up the first tree she came to quick as a squirrel, before disappearing into the tree's canopy.

Urd burst from the branches a second later, panting and wild-eyed as her head swiveled one way then the next, searching desperately for her prey. Her eyes lit up as they landed on Celestine, and the girl mouthed a question to the elder deity. Glancing off towards the direction Belldandy had gone, Celestine shrugged and pointed, and with a large, excited grin the youth was off again, darting to the right and taking a wide berth around Ostara before disappearing amongst the bushes and away from the trees once more. Celestine was almost certain he heard a tree giggle.

At his side, Ostara frowned, and recalling the appearance of the girl Celestine was beginning to think was half-monkey, the man apologized. "Ah, Lady Ostara, if it's about the state of Belldandy's dress, I can assure you I'll repair any damage-"

The woman silenced him with a look. "It is not Belldandy I worry about." She snapped. "Belldandy is a child. Let her be. Children play in the dirt and tear their clothes all the time. More fearful would I be for the child locked away in her home and away from the rest of society." The woman stopped, and Celestine did as well, turning to fully face the woman. "Tell me, Celestine, why did you lie to that girl?"

Celestine stared at her. "What?"

The woman scowled. "That girl. Urd, I believe is what she's called, is it not? Why did you lie to her?"

"Lady Ostara, surely you're joking. I was only-"

"-Choosing to aid one child over another." Ostara interrupted. "And if it were to be something much larger, greater than a simple game of hide and seek? Would you still lie to the child? Would you still choose one child's side over another?"

Celestine took a step back at the unexpected attack, bringing his hands up to his chest as though to ward off the verbal assault. "Lady Ostara, I'm sorry if I insulted you but-"

"I wasn't asking for an apology, Celestine. I was asking whose side you would choose if it came between my daughter and that girl. If you would lie to either of them." She fixed him with an unending, peircing gaze, and Celestine was under the impression of the evil eye. "How can you expect me to trust you as a mentor if I know your loyalties lie with another?"

Celestine had no answer for her, and she stared at him long and hard for it. "I believe you should think long and hard before you answer me that question." The woman continued, some of the hostility draining from her face. "While not something outlawed, the Almighty frowns on those who wield so much power and choose to be dishonest with those he works with." She said coolly. "I would highly recommend changing that aspect of yourself if you wish to continue the path you've set for yourself."

Apparently feeling as though she'd properly scolded him, the woman relented. "I do not like that child." The brunette admitted. "Seeing her makes my tongue sharp, and I am quick to use it and slow to halt it because of that fact." It was the closest thing to an apology he was likely to get from Ostara. The Almighty's spouse was not supposed to make apologies to those beneath her.

"Who, Urd?" The man stared stupidly at the woman. "But she's just-"

"A reminder."

_I wish she would stop doing that. _ Celestine raised an eyebrow. "A reminder of what?"

The woman bared her teeth in a snarl. "A reminder of _that_ woman. Hild. Daimakaicho Hild."

The amount of hostility in the woman's voice surprised the deity. "You…speak as though you know her." He ventured softly, some brave part of him daring to step on the thin ice and wondering if it would hold his weight.

It did, at least for the moment. "I knew_ of_ her." The woman growled. "From before." The woman began to walk down the path again, and like a dutiful puppy Celestine followed after her, his own curiosity getting the better of him at the mention of the Demon Lord. "She was powerful, even back then, and she knew it, too." The woman's hazel eyes grew distant. "When she became the Almighty's consort, _that_ woman wasted no time in establishing her position at His side, and she made sure _we _knew it as well."

The woman scowled in disdain. "There is an animal on the Assiah, far, far to the south of the land I come from, where the female rules over its counterparts through fear and aggression, did you know that Celestine?" She looked at him, and the man shook his head. "It laughs when it kills its prey, and is an opportunist; a scavenger as much as it is a predator. So cruel is the beast that even its mates fear crossing its path, and should more than one pup be born in a litter, its offspring will fight each other to the death within hours of their birth, leaving only the strongest to survive."

The woman smiled bitterly. "If ever there was a beast that could compare to such a creature as the Daimakaicho, it would be that beast. None of us know why she turned on us-not even, dare I say, my dear husband. _That_ woman turned and bit my husband like that beast, and when she bit him she bit _hard_, Celestine. I believe she holds a madness in her greater than Loki and Set and Coyote brought together into one persona. And to see that woman's pup running around with my own daughter…" She paused, and her gaze went to the trees, where if Celestine looked carefully, he could see a face staring past them and towards the bushes Urd had disappeared into. "To see her running around with such a creature…I fear for the day I return and find her murdered by that beast, Celestine."

Celestine looked at the goddess in horror. "Lady Ostara, you don't mean that, surely?"

Yet the woman's expression did not change, and Celestine felt a gut-wrenching apprehension claw at his stomach. "My Lady. I can assure you, I will not allow such a thing to happen." He fell silent, and together the duo watched as two little girls played before their eyes, one hiding within the branches of a tree, another beneath the roots of bushes. "Lady Ostara…."

"Ostara."

"Ostara…why did you tell me so much about the Daimakaicho?"

"Because your young, Celestine. Too young to remember a time when _that_ woman was present. Yet you have met her, and now her child is under your wing, as is my own daughter, who shares blood with the girl. You need to know the dangers that come with such a creature. The dangers that could arise with another such beast in the heavens once more."

"_Charge!_" A small, young voice roared, and startled from their conversation, the two deities watched bemused as a silver-haired child suddenly popped out of the bushes, one arm filled with pinecones with one projectile hurtling towards the trees. Another was in her hand as soon as the first went flying, and the girl let out a battle scream and she raced at the tree.

Ostara's mouth dropped in horror. "Celestine, what in the Yggdrasil's worlds is that child _doing_?" She demanded.

Celestine wasn't too sure himself, staring gape-mouthed as a pinecone suddenly sailed out from the tree the bronze child was assaulting and nailed the youth in the head. "Pinecone Snipe!" The tree chirped, and the demon-child's ammunition went sailing through the air as Urd suddenly dropped to the ground with a yelp.

The tree erupted into giggles once more, and on the ground the youth rolled through the grass and grabbed the nearest pinecone she came across, rising to her feet with another cry. "Pinecone Bomb!" Urd cried, lugging it once more at the tree. It didn't even come close to reaching the girl hidden within, and Celestine watched as the younger girl sent another well-placed pinecone at the dark-girl's head.

"Pinecone Snipe!"

And Urd dropped like a rock.

"Celestine."

The dark-haired deity turned to Ostara, finding the woman staring at him coolly. "Tell me, how long ago was it that you brought that child to the Heavens?"

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Celestine could here Soulful Elation cursing wildly and scratching at the walls of his mind, as though suddenly desperate to get away from his older female companion. Ignoring it best he could, Celestine swallowed nervously. "Ah…five hours upon reaching the borders separating the Heavens from Purgatory, Ma'am."

The woman nodded, humming softly in thought. "And how many hours since being introduced to my daughter?"

"Ah…" There was something dangerous in the sudden change of topics, and it was setting him on edge. "One...maybe two hours?"

"I see…" The woman nodded once more. "So let me get this straight. In the past five hours, that girl had caused an inexcusable amount of strife within my husband's council, forcing upon the Almighty an announcement that, along with the political uproar and controversy, will send many a deity over the edge in either anger, shock, or fear. And in the past two hours since meeting my daughter, the girl has taught Belldandy the joys of throwing inanimate objects at people's _heads _in the form of war games_._" She stared at Celestine frostily. "Tell me, and I want you to be perfectly honest with me Celestine. Do you not see something here that needs to be fixed?"

Celestine felt a shiver race down his spine. "Yes-"

"Fix it." She took a step towards him. "Before I fix you."

And Celestine was gone with the western wind. "Fixing it!" He shouted, racing towards the combative duo who continued to throw pinecones at one another as though it were the greatest game in the world.

Ostara watched him go with a frown, and as the young man was nailed in the head by a well placed pinecone from Belldandy, the woman shook her head. "I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Celestine grumbled, running a hand through his bangs with a sigh. His fingers grazed something unnatural in his hair, with a frown the man wrapped his hand around it, gently tugging it from his hair with a grimace. He stared at it before narrowing dark eyes at the object, rubbing his face with his empty hand.

"Have a bad feeling about what?" A pair of arms slipped around his neck, and Celestine tilted his arms to see their owner. Eyes as clear and blue as naked ice met his, and the god smiled. He raised his hand to show the newcomer its contents, and a red brow raised in question. "Is that a pinecone kernel?"

The man nodded. "I'm starting to have second thoughts on the decision to become a mentor for the younger generation." He admitted, turning to the woman at his back so as to better display the red mark on his forehead.

This time two red eyebrows shot up in surprise, and a snicker escaped Macha's throat as she stared at Celestine. "Dare I ask?"

Celestine blew at his unruly bangs, causing them to sway lightly. "Belldandy has an amazing throwing arm." He said, and Macha laughed.

"Belldandy? The Almighty's girl?" She asked, and at his nod the Valkyrie laughed harder. "What did you do to upset such a sweet thing so badly that she'd think to throw a _pinecone_ at your head?"

The man shrugged, his cheeks growing warm in embarrassment. "I'm not too sure she was aiming for me. I think my head just got in the way of her hand."

Macha tilted her head to one side and leaned into his back. She was a short woman, and the bench Celestine was sitting on left them eyelevel with each other. "Oh?" She asked. "Then who was she aiming for?"

"Someone else's head."

The woman sent the god a dirty look. "That's not very helpful, you know that, right?"

This time it was Celestine's turn to laugh. "Do you know what a 'snipe' is, by any chance?" He asked, flicking the kernel off into the bushes and watching as the Valkyrie behind him 'hmmed' in thought.

"A bird." She finally answered. "I believe it's some type of water bird on the lower plains. The people who hunt it are called 'snipers' due to the skill needed when killing it, however I am more familiar with the title assigned to sharpshooters who could kill an enemy target with one shot. My sister was a sniper before she passed, as is Cupid, the twins Artemis and Apollo, and Inanna, though they have a…lesser mortality rate than we Valkyries. Why do you ask?"

_Pinecone Snipe._ Celestine grinned. "No reason. Just heard someone mention it before, that's all." The man stretched his arms above his head, laying them lightly across the Valkyrie's broad shoulders. "So does this mean the meeting is over?" He asked, pulling down on the warrior's leather jerkin. Macha allowed him to tug her down, and he shifted just enough to kiss her.

The warrior returned it with a happy purr before breaking away. "No unfortunately." She said. "They decided it'd be a good idea to call for a recess. I think everyone was tired of the screams and headaches." The woman smirked, disentangling herself from Celestine's grip. "You were smart to leave when you did, Cel. I couldn't get out of there fast enough, and _I'm_ the one who has to go back." The woman shook her head. "You certainly know how to rile up the higher –ups, don't you?"

Celestine flashed the woman a smile. "What can I say, it's a gift."

"Miss Maccy!" The duo looked up as Belldandy's voice rang through the garden. Her voice was loud enough that it seemed to echo off the crystal walls surrounding them, and the child ran around the corner, bearing in tow what looked like a semi-reluctant Urd. The girl was half-leading, half-dragging her companion to the bench Celestine rested at, and the little brunette's eyes lit up as they fell upon the god and Valkyrie.

"Miss Maccy!" The girl announced in a voice loud enough that it seemed to bounce against the crystals of the garden, before releasing her companion's arm and racing towards the woman with a quick burst of speed.

"'Miss Maccy'?" Celestine parroted, raising a dark brow in question at the Valkyrie at his back.

"Yup." The red-head blushed. "That's what she calls me." The woman patted Celestine on the shoulder before stepping around the bench. "You tell Badb Catha or any of my girls and I'll kill you." She threatened lightly, spreading her arms and stooping to one knee. "I've got enough nicknames in the Heavens as is. I don't need something like 'Miss Maccy' added to the list."

Celestine bit back a grin. "But it's _cute_." He cooed, and had the pleasure of watching the woman's face turn as red as her hair. He was saved from her oncoming retort by Belldandy, who flew into the woman's arms all smiles and giggles as the youth wrapped her arms around 'Miss Maccy's' neck.

With an exaggerated groan the Valkyrie rolled to her feet, spinning the child at arm's length and sending the girl into shrieks and squeals of laughter. "And how is my little songbird doing?" The Valkyrie asked, suddenly halting her spin and watching in amusement as the child dizzily tried to focus on her.

"Miss Maccy! I'm Belldandy, not a songbird!"

The Valkyrie tilted her head to one side. "Oh?" She asked. "Then I must not be a crow. No matter though. I can prove that you're a songbird, Little One."

"How?"

And Celestine almost fell from his seat in horror as Macha tossed Belldandy into the air, as though the child was little more than a ball. Belldandy shrieked with laughter as the girl sailed higher than some of the trees in the garden, and Macha laughed with her.

"Fly Little Songbird!" The woman crowed, and Celestine scrambled to his feet even as the little girl came sailing back to the earth, landing safely in Macha's arms once more. "Ah, what's this?" The woman cried. "You were supposed to fly! Not fall back into my arms!"

"Macha!"

Yet Celestine's cries were drowned out by Belldandy's shouts of 'Again! Again!', and before the man could act the youth was sailing through the sky, a bird once more.

This time Macha looked at the deity, amusement written clear across her face. "You worry too much, Celestine." She winked at him. "You think me so weak to as not be able to catch her? We Valkyries play catch with _boulders_ that weigh more than Belldandy." A scream from above signaled the return of Belldandy to the earth, and the Valkyrie caught the child easily, twirling her once more before depositing the youth on her shoulders. "In comparison, Belldandy _is _a songbird, Celestine." She tilted her head up, where two pairs of blue eyes met. "At least, she weighs about the same to me. Perhaps lighter. Isn't that right, Little One?"

The child smiled and laughed, burying her fingers into Macha's curly red hair and planting a kiss on the blue sigil on the woman's forehead. Sitting on the Valkyrie's shoulders placed the child almost eyelevel with Celestine, and Belldandy stared at the man with bright, gleeful blue eyes and a toothy smile. Ruefully, the man returned the smile, ruffling the girl's long hair for good measures. "Ease your grip on Macha's hair, Belldandy. You'll rip it out if you pull too hard."

The expression on Belldandy's face immediately changed to one of alarm, and Macha laughed as the girl on her shoulders lurched forward, trying to find some way to properly ease her grip on Macha's hair. "Don't you listen to him, Belldandy." The woman advised. "We Valkyries are strong-"

"Strong like an ox."

Macha glared at him, and Celestine smirked. "Damn-

"Language, Macha. There are children present."

Macha ignored him. "-Straight, 'strong like an ox', and our hair is just as hard to pull out. You aren't going to hurt me anytime soon; else I'd not have put you on my shoulders."

The youth nodded, and Macha wrapped her hands around the girl's legs, holding her steady. "Now, how about you introduce me to your new friend over there." The woman jutted her chin off into the distance, and Celestine saw Urd standing there, frozen in place, her expression guarded. "She seems to be of the more shy type, don't you agree? She hasn't come near us since laying eyes on me."

Belldandy giggled. "That's 'cause she's new here and all alone. She told me herself." The girl explained. "Her name's Urd, and she's not my friend, she's my sister!"

Celestine looked at the youth with a raised eyebrow. "Not your friend?" He asked, and at Belldandy's nod the man continued. "That seems a little mean, Belldandy. You said yourself that Urd is new here, didn't you? Then chances are she doesn't have any friends here yet. Who says you can't be her friend _and_ sister?"

The shocked look on Belldandy's face would have been adorable had the girl not taken it so seriously. "What? But Mr. Celestine, that's not what I meant!" The child cried. "I don't want Urd to not have any friends. I'll be her friend too then, okay?" The little girl leaned towards Celestine, causing Macha to grunt. "But you have to be her friend too, okay Mr. Celestine? And Miss Maccy too! Please?"

Celestine chuckled. "Alright, I'll be her friend as well, Belldandy." His gaze shifted from the girl to the warrior. "Miss Maccy? How about you?"

'Miss Maccy' currently looked like she wanted to rip his intestines from his body and shove them down Celestine's throat. Then her gaze drifted off to Urd, and the woman's gaze softened into a frown. "I don't know." She admitted, surprising the man at her side. "One does not simply become a 'friend'. One can only offer a hand in friendship and hope it will be accepted in turn."

Belldandy looked down at the woman in confusion. "That's okay, right? It's not like Urd doesn't want to be your friend too!"

Macha chose not to respond, merely smiled at the youth on her shoulders.

_That's right. I'd almost forgotten that incident. _The 'incident' had happened several months ago, when the air was still hot and the earth filled with flowers. Macha had told him the story of the little girl and the demon child she'd brought into the city, as well as the chaos that had erupted when a great black beast had risen from the earth to fetch the little demon, with the Almighty's own avatar descending to save the child that had befriended the demon. For security purposes, Macha had only been able to give him a broad explanation of the event, and regardless of how much he'd pumped her for information, the woman had never let another word drop of the incident.

Yet now, approaching another demon child, one whom the Almighty Himself claimed as His own, Celestine could not help but think back to that story once more. _Could it? _The man wondered. _Was Urd the demon from last summer? _Then who had been the little girl who'd been with her? Or the monstrosity that had come to fetch her? The Daimakaicho, by chance? One of her servants?

The man shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside for a later time. It looked like he had more than just a new name to harass Macha with now.

Speaking of which…

The trio came to a halt, Belldandy happily bouncing on Macha's shoulders as though the woman were a small, red pony. "Urd! Urd, this is Miss Maccy!" The girl introduced. "The nice lady that lets me fly!" She squirmed excitedly on the woman's shoulders, yet the Valkyrie did a remarkable job of ignoring it. Celestine would have put the girl down already. "Miss Maccy, this is Urd, my big sister!"

A slim smile slid across Macha's face, and the woman thrust her right hand out to Urd. "I hope you'll forgive me if I don't give you a proper bow." The woman said, causing the girl to look from the offered hand to Macha's face. "You see, I have a songbird on my shoulder, and I fear it might fly away if I bow too deeply." The girl's violet gaze moved from Macha to the child resting on her shoulders, and Belldandy giggled. The bronze child held it there for only a moment however before it moved to Celestine, then back to the hand in front of her.

_So cautious all of a sudden. Is it because of Macha?_ The woman wasn't adorned in the traditional Valkyrie robes. Nor did she wear the more modest dresses or even the more risqué garb that was slowly starting to gain popularity within the heavens, if only by the sheer amount of attention it brought to the bold women who wore them. Instead Macha dressed in a mail skirt, one that would have sung had she not been one of the Morrigan. That, with an emerald tunic atop beneath and leather dyed black on top, showed a different type of warrior from the one Celestine was used to seeing on a daily basis. Her arms were bare of gauntlets, leaving only the heavy emerald of her tunic to cover her arms, the sleeves inlaid with golden thread stitched into knotwork all around the edge of her sleeves.

Yet the one thing that stood as perhaps the most striking in her appearance were the blue stripes that covered her cheeks in place of face paint. The stripes were long and thick, two horizontal one running down across her brows, on top her eyes, and across her cheeks, where they disappeared beneath the woman's chin. Where the two sigils beneath her eyes rested instead two more stripes sprouted, these moving horizontal and merging with their opposing vertical stripes. From a distance the makeup wasn't that bad, however up close as she was right now created quite the intimidating persona. Even Belldandy, whom Macha once commented would befriend a man-eating giant if given half the chance, had apparently been spooked by the Valkyrie in her people's traditional battle adornments.

Urd didn't look to be intimidated by the Valkyrie though; merely hesitant. "…I don't get it." She asked warily, regarding the hand before looking up at the Valkyrie's hand.

Macha smiled. "Give me your right hand, Child."

Suspicion dawned within violet eyes, and with a frown Urd slowly offered the woman her hand, only to blink in surprise as Macha grabbed it with her own and shook it. "I cannot bow to you like a proper deity do to the songbird on my shoulders." She said again. "And so I offer you my strong hand instead, to show you that my hand is empty and that I hold neither weapons nor ill intent towards you." The Valkyrie explained. "As do you. And so we meet as equals, baring no hostility to one another."

The woman released the girl's hand, and Urd withdrew it, looking down at it before her gaze returned to the Valkyrie. "I never said my right hand was my strong hand though." She said.

"You never said it wasn't, either, Lass." Macha replied, and the frown on Urd's face deepened.

"No…" The girl said slowly. "…But what if my strong hand _was_ my left hand?"

Something that almost sounded like a laugh rumbled in the back of the Valkyrie's throat. "Then that'd be a risk I'd have to be willing to take, don't you agree?"

Belldandy lightly kicked her feet against the black leather of Macha's overcoat happily. The woman ignored it. "Urd says she ami…ambi…dex-ar-us." The little girl released her grip in Macha's hair and waved them around in the air. "Where you can use both your hands to write and stuff!"

"Ambidextrous?" Celestine supplied helpfully, watching as the little girl eagerly nodded her head up and down.

"Uh-huh." The girl agreed. "Tha's what I said, silly!"

"Oh?" Macha's gaze shifted from the child above her to the one on the ground. "Is that so, Little One?"

Urd glared up at Belldandy, who remained ignorant to the look, and Celestine was reminded of Ostara's words from earlier. _It's nothing Cel, calm down. It's only the beginnings of sibling rivalry, that's all. _

Catching Celestine watching her, the dark youth scowled and looked away. "Yeah, that's right." The silver-haired child reluctantly agreed. "Ma-The Daimakaicho said it was important to use both your hands for stuff. She said it was dangerous relying on only one hand, 'specially in a fight, so she taught me to use both."

"I see" The Valkyrie murmured, her tone one Celestine was unfamiliar with. "And do you get into fights often?"

The girl rubbed her arm uncomfortably, scuffing the path with a sandal. "Y-No…yes." The girl seemed to have some internal war with herself at what to tell the Valkyrie, and after Urd catching herself once Celestine was surprised to see the girl switch her answer once more. "Lots of fights." She said hesitantly. "Practice fights. With other demons though, not Valkyries." She rushed to throw that bit in. 'Cept for the end. The last fight was scary." A shadow passed over the girl's face, and Celestine wondered what it was a child so young had gone through. "But it's done with now. An I'm not scared of nothing no more, not even Valkyries."

Boldly, the child looked at Macha, meeting the woman's eyes as though in challenge. "I learned that there are scarier things then Valkyries, way scarier things. And it don't matter what you dress a Valkyrie in or how much armor you throw her in or how much you paint her face to look scary. A Valkyrie is still only a Valkyrie, and a Valkyrie is less than a god."

"Urd!" Celestine snapped, only for Macha to wave him off, a thin, wane smile on her face. Despite himself, the man swallowed nervously, staring at the goddess with a grimace. "Macha…" He said softly. "Watch your temper. She's only a girl. She doesn't know-"

"Oh I know what she's talking about Celestine." The warrior cut him off. "Don't you worry your little head about that." She looked to him, baring her teeth in something that looked more like a mockery of a smile than an actual grin. "I believe it's time you took your Little Songbird, Celestine." Without waiting for a response the woman raised Belldandy from her shoulders and handed her off to the deity.

The man took her without comment, and even Belldandy fell silent, sensing the Valkyrie's sudden change in mood. No longer impeded by the child on her shoulders, Macha kneeled, placing herself eyelevel with Urd. "Tell me, Little One. What monsters exist that would scare a little demon child more than a Valkyrie?"

"Serpents." Urd replied almost immediately. "…And the eagle that eat the serpents' brood." She admitted after a moment's hesitation.

"And where would these serpents and eagle dwell, Little One?"

"…Yggdrasil." The girl muttered. "Within the roots and atop the tree. They're always fighting each other."

Macha nodded slowly. "I see…" She murmured. "Eagles and Serpents have never had the best relations, be it in the past or present. Eagles will prey upon serpents if given the opportunity, and likewise serpents will eat the eagle's eggs if given half the chance. The biggest ones will eat the eagle itself if the opportunity is presented to it."

"Aye." The woman continued. "Many people make claims of how we Valkyries are lesser beings because we choose to give ourselves to the battlefield. Our lives are expendable, and so it has grown popular to view a Valkyrie as less than a god. But let me tell you something, Little One, Little Lightning-Speaker, Little Corpse-Renderer." Her voice grew soft and cool. "Your people call us wolves, but that is far from the truth. We are jackals and we are crows, and there are more of us than all the snakes and eagles in the world. For even serpents will die if struck by sharp talons. Even an eagle will rot if poisoned. Yet when they leave their homes to some place where they can die alone, we will be waiting for them, in the shadows and in the trees. And when their bodies grow hot and bloated in the midday sun, it will be us, the crows and the jackals, that remain, all too eager and willing to devour their corpses. Serpents and eagles may come and go, yet crows will always remain."

The woman reached out a hand, and lightly pat the bronze child on the head. "You'd do well to remember that, Little One."

Urd didn't respond, merely glared up at the Valkyrie, small, dark hands curled into fists. Muttering something under her breath, the youth slapped the woman's hand away, blowing at her bangs angrily.

Macha raised an eyebrow, withdrawing her hand to her side once more. "What was that, Little One?"

The girl grit her teeth, a snarl seeping into her features. "I said 'Pinecone Bomb'!" She snapped, and the results were instantaneous.

From where she rested safely in Celestine's arms, as though by magic, Belldandy produced a pinecone. As Celestine stared at the child in bafflement, Belldandy announced to the world "Pinecone Snipe!" And hurtled it with all the strength she possessed in her little arm. Unfortunately, the majority of Urd's body was blocked by Macha, and in a repeat of events an hour past, the pinecone bounced harmlessly off of the older deity's head.

"_Shit._" Celestine hissed, leaping back as Macha wheeled on the duo, rising to her full, terrifying height of just under five feet with a snarl.

"Who threw that?" Macha roared, advancing on god and child and forcing Celestine to back away.

From the corner of one eye he caught Urd's devious smile, and desperately the deity tried to calm the woman. _That little shit._ "Macha, calm down!" He cried. "It was a pinecone! She didn't-" He pivoted from and angry kick at his shins. "It's not like it-" He lurched away from a jab towards his ribs, juggling Belldandy from one arm to the other. "Damn it Macha-"

"Language Celestine!" Macha snarled, lashing out with a high kick that would have smashed his head in if she wasn't so short. "There are children present!"

"Yes." He blocked the incoming kick with his arm. "There." It smashed into his arm hard enough to make his bones rattle uncomfortably, and without thinking the deity shifted the arm, wrapping the limb around the assaulting leg and locking it between the bend in his elbow and his shoulder. "Are!" The man lurched backwards, child, and Valkyrie and all, only for Macha to lean back, countering his weight with her own and shifting it to the one leg she balanced so precariously on. The weight of leather and armor added to her bulk and rather than the warrior losing her footing she remained standing, creating the impression of some perverse game of tug-of-war.

"And you're going to injure one of them if you keep up this folly!" Celestine snapped, his own temper getting the better of him as he glared at the shorter deity. "Now calm your ass down right _now _or I'm not letting go of your leg! If you need someone to take your anger out on, take in out on me. But don't you _dare_ take it out on these girls though." His gaze darted to Urd, then back to Macha. "_Either _of them! Do you understand? They are _children_. Not your warriors, not your fledglings, and not your enemies." By now the man was panting, his face flushed a bright red. "_Especially_ not your enemies." He finished, holding Macha's furious gaze with his own.

A whimper arose from Belldandy, tucked away safely on the other side of his body, and Celestine heard the child sniff. "Please stop fighting." The girl's voice sounded watery, close to breaking into sobs. "I'm sorry I threw the pinecone Miss Maccy, Mr. Celestine! I really am! I didn't mean to make you mad and angry and fighty! I promise I'll never ever _ever _do it again! So please stop fighting!" Then the crying started, and Celestine felt the fight die in him as he heard Belldandy release a long, drawn out wail before burying her face in his robes.

The man sent an accusing look to the woman before him. _Now look what you did!_ He mouthed. _You made her cry!_

The Valkyrie sent him a withering glare before mouthing something back to him, and Celestine winced. Yet with a grimace, the deity nodded, slowly extending his arm and allowing the captive leg to go free. With a scowl the woman readjusted her position, and with a hop away the two were free from each other.

Somewhere off in the distance a bell tolled, and Macha straightened. The red-head looked towards where the sound originated with a frown before turning back to Celestine. "We'll finish this discussion later, Celestine." The woman ran a hand through her hair, and even as the god nodded the warrior turned away, stalking down the sidewalk and back towards the tower the garden was connected to.

Celestine watched her go, and as soon as the woman was out of sight Celestine turned his attention to Belldandy. "Hey, hey now, it's alright." The man bounced the child in his arm, cooing softly to the little girl and brushing brown locks from the girl's face. "Belldandy, it's alright. Macha and I are done fighting. Dry your eyes, Little One."

The child sniffed loudly, and Celestine caught a hint of blue eyes looking up at him shyly. "I'm sorry." She whimpered. "Because of me you and Miss Maccy aren't friends anymore." Fresh tears dawned in the child's eyes, and with another sob the youth buried her face once more in Celestine's shirt. "I'm _sorry!"_

The god sighed. "Belldandy, Macha and I are still friends." He said, and the sobs quieted somewhat. "Macha…she is a violent person by nature. She fights with many things. Friends, families, students..." He paused, and once more Belldandy peeked up at him. "…Pinecones." He smiled, and Belldandy weakly giggled. "What I'm trying to say is that she is a war deity. Macha would get in a fight with that tree over there-" He pointed, and Belldandy craned her head to look at it. "-because she'd claim that the tree looked at her wrong."

Belldandy frowned and sniffed, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her dress. "But the tree doesn't have any eyes, Mr. Celestine."

The man nodded. "That's my point." He explained. "For war deities, they will go out of their way to get angry-they _like_ being angry-and even something as simple as a pinecone will set them off."

"But…" The child bit her lip. "But she was trying to hurt you, Mr. Celestine! Friends aren't supposed to hurt each other!"

The man allowed himself a gentle chuckle. "Belldandy, if Macha was trying to hurt me, I wouldn't be able to move my arm right now." He shook his left arm, the one he'd used to block Macha's kick. "She has a short temper, yes, and she has a tendency to be violent, yet Macha also has a great deal of discipline. For all that she attacked me, she kept her blows soft and slow so that I might block them. And they were directed at _me_, too. Macha knew who threw that pinecone, Belldandy-you weren't shy about announcing it to the world-but Macha made sure to keep her blows away from you."

"No more pinecones." Belldandy assured him. "But…does that mean Miss Maccy is mad at me?"

With his free hand the deity ruffled the girl's long hair. "Give her time." He advised. "Macha has a memory about as short as her temper. By this time tomorrow she'll have forgotten all about the pinecone. You're still her friend, Belldandy."

The girl nodded, and Celestine set her down. There was a large dark spot on his robes wet with tears and snot, and Celestine made a mental note to have the uniform washed upon returning home. "Now…" His gaze traveled from Belldandy to Urd, who looked away with a scowl. "I believe we've had enough fun in this garden today." Taking Belldandy's hand, the deity approached the dark child, who looked at him warily. "Urd, if you're done instigating short-tempered Valkyries prone to violent outbursts into fights, I believe it's time we returned Belldandy to her mother. I still need to show you your new living quarters."

"She started it." Urd said with a huff, and Celestine wisely held his tongue.

"Come." He said instead. "I was informed that there were certain…issues with your residency upon arrival. Until otherwise informed, you'll be staying in my quarters."

Urd looked at the man in confusion. "I won't be staying with Belldandy?" The look spread to Belldandy, and Celestine grimaced.

"_Hyenas…" _Ostara whispered in Celestine's mind. "Ah…no. No Urd, you won't. Lady Ostara never…had the time to set up a room for you in her house. And I made a promise to look after you, lest you forget, my dear.

Urd grunted. "Guess that means I'll be seeing that stupid red crow again."

Celestine raised an eyebrow. "Language." He corrected automatically. "And what makes you say that?"

The bronze child looked at him, a silver brow of her own raised in amusement. "'You're room. Twenty-three and thirty.'" The girl quoted. "That's what Macha told you, didn't she? That'd she'd meet you in your room at twenty-three thirty."

Celestine stared at her in alarm. "You read lips." The girl shrugged.

On the other side of him, Belldandy let out a whoop. "That means you guys really _are _friends, right?"

"In a manner of speaking." Celestine muttered, and Urd grinned.

"You guys must want to continue your…_talk_, right?" The youth asked, and her grin turned sly. "So just how _close _will my room be to yours, 'Stine?"

Celestine felt his brow twitch. "All the way on the other side of the hallway." He decided. "In the guest room, separated by several walls. With silencing mandalas." He eyed the girl, who stared at him impishly. "For privacy."

Urd snickered and Belldandy giggled, leaving Celestine to wonder just what was shared between the young siblings in their adventures through the garden. _This is the Daimakaicho's daughter._ He reminded himself, before freezing. A shiver worked its way down his spine, and Celestine felt his flesh break into goose bumps.

"Mr. Celestine? Are you okay?"

"Yeah…you look like someone just walked over your grave, 'Stine."

The man smiled weakly. "It's nothing, children. Just something I forgot to do." _I forgot to tell Macha whom Urd was staying with._

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Soulful Elation was laughing. _Dead man walking indeed._

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Yeah…after Ostara's conversation with Celestine, the chapter took a life of its own. I have no idea where the idea of pinecone wars came from, though I suspect it might have something to do with my shop watching Band of Brothers in our free time. Also, running six miles in a 10k when your body is only accustomed to two miles on average is a really stupid idea. Don't try it. It hurts. A lot._


	15. Headaches

On the fifth day since arriving in the Heavens, Urd awoke with a headache.

It came with the light of the morning sun shining down upon her face, and with a grimace the child pulled the covers over her head in a desperate bid for darkness. Yet even that small act caused her head to throb, and with an unhappy whine the girl curled into a tight ball of misery beneath her covers.

_Stupid sun waking me up._ The youth thought miserably. _ And before Celestine even comes, too!_

As though hearing her inner rant, someone knocked on the door to her room. "Urd, are you awake? It's time to get up!" Celestine's muffled voice came from the other side, and with a groan Urd placed her hands over her ears and scrunched her eyes together, hoping to drown the deity out.

The knocking paused, and the bronze child allowed herself a moment of respite at the temporary silence. With a sigh, the youth relaxed, allowing her hands to part from her ears and hoping the act might lessen the sound of her pulse in her head.

It did, however only momentarily. In its place instead came the sound of a door opening and Celestine entering the room. "Urd?" His voice was soft, something Urd realized, yet the pounding in her head made it come across as though the man was screaming. "Urd? Come. We need to get ready. We have a long day ahead of us and Lady Ostara promised to help with it." She felt something gently come to rest on her shoulder, and guessing it was his hand the youth ignored it. "…Don't you want to see your sister again? Belldandy will be disappointed if she doesn't get a chance to see you today."

_Go chase a bicorn._ The youth thought dourly, reluctantly peeking an irritated violet eye out at Celestine from beneath the blankets. "Don't care." She grumbled. "Head hurts. Want to sleep." She tugged the blankets back over her head, rolling onto her other side away from Celestine for good measures.

"Your head hurts?" The man sounded surprised, and beneath her covers Urd scowled, fervently wishing the man would shut up. Or suddenly be struck by some horribly fatal virus that devoured the man's vocal cords. Whichever came first.

Unfortunately neither of the two happened, and Celestine continued talking. "When did you get a headache?" He asked. "Can you show me where it hurts?" There was a tug on her blanket, and suddenly Urd's face was once more engulfed in blinding, painful light.

_Bless you, I'm going to claw your eyes out and shove them down your throat._ Only too late did Urd realize she'd screamed her thoughts out loud, yet the worst she got from Celestine was a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure what you said." He began. "However I'm relatively certain it was something unpleasant." A hand, cool and soft, came to rest on her forehead, and Urd stared blinking at the man above her. "I'll let it slide this time, judging by your reaction, but please refrain from cursing me in _any_ language from here on out-not just your own."

Urd grumbled something incomprehensible in reply, and something that sounded like an amused laugh arose from the man. The hand left her forehead, and suddenly the bronze youth was bathed in blissful shade as Celestine drew the curtains over the window. It didn't stop the pounding in her head, but at least she wasn't losing her vision to the sun anymore.

With a sigh the girl allowed herself to relax, eying Celestine critically as the man crouched by her side once more. "Can you show me where it hurts the most?" His voice was a whisper now, yet still she winced. Sighing, the child ran a dark hand through her silver hair, letting it roam until she found the spot the pain seemed to originate from. Allowing it to rest there, Urd sent the man a look, and Celestine nodded.

"I see." He murmured, moving a hand of his own to rest atop her own. "May I?" He asked, and with a frown Urd slipped her hand out from beneath his, allowing Celestine's hand to rest on the origin of her pain. "Right here?" Gently, he applied pressure to the area, and Urd grunted in agreement when she felt the pain dissipate minutely. The elder deity nodded. "Alright…Urd, I want you to relax as much as possible. Can you do that for me?"

The dark youth looked at Celestine dolefully before sighing and closing her eyes. She felt Celestine rest his other hand on her shoulder, and something pressed against her forehead. "Now, you're going to feel something like a push in your mind," Celestine's voice was right in her ear. "And I need you to let it through. You're going to want to resist it; my magic is going to feel like an invasive presence in your mind, but I need you to let it pass into your mind. Can you do that for me?"

Urd peeked up at him with one violet orb, finding the man's forehead pressed against her own and the man watching her with dark eyes. Startled at his proximity, the girl flinched before sending him a look asking him '_are you serious?'_ Celestine smirked at her, and with a grunt, Urd closed her eye once more, taking a deep breath and trying her hardest to relax as she'd been instructed.

It wasn't so much of a _push_ she felt in her mind as it was a gentle prodding from various little fingers. They poked and prodded within her mind, pressing up against the mental barriers her mother had taught her how to erect. It felt like they were searching for some spot that was weaker than the rest of the barriers, and despite how gentle the prodding was, it sent the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight on edge. Instinctively, she drew upon her own magic to help strengthen the barriers, and though it sent her head pounding all the harder, Urd was satisfied to see what appeared in her mind's eye as small white tendrils of light suddenly withdrawing.

"Urd." Celestine's tone was a deep, condescending rumble in her ears, and the youth winced. "I told you not to fight it. Let it through. I can't help you if you don't let me in." The barrier in her mind now had angry, violet sparks dancing across its surface, and beyond the barrier Urd could still see the tendrils of light, flowing back and forth and across each other, neither retreating nor advancing, instead remaining stationary, waiting for the girl to do as ordered.

"No funny business." The mental equivalent of her wagged a finger in warning at the energy, and slowly, the youth let the barrier fall. The violet streaks of magic dissipated from sight, and soon after that the barriers lowered themselves, allowing the foreign magic further access to her body.

"We're going to need to work on your choice in language, Urd." This time Celestine's voice seemed to erupt from the foreign magic, more amused than condescending. "I understood that about as well as I did you cursing me a few minutes ago."

The girl mentally crossed her arms with a huff. "My body, my rules." She growled, this time actively ensuring she switched over to the second tongue. "No funny business." She repeated. "Or I'll make sure you leave here hurting."

Slowly, the silver magic approached her, moving past the mental 'her' and continuing onward. "You don't trust me?"

The girl sniffed. "Demons trust no one."

"Not even their mothers?" Celestine retorted. "And last I checked, the sigils on your face were blue, not red. Did that magically change upon my entering your mind?"

The youth fell silent, and Urd more felt than heard Celestine sigh. "I see. You have a lot to learn if we're to make a proper deity out of you."

The dark child scowled. "I didn't come here to be a proper deity. I came here to see Yggdrasil. How many times I gotta tell you that, 'Stine?"

"Oh, I'd say about the same amount of times I need to remind you that Yggdrasil isn't interested in demons. Only proper deities."

A frustrated growl tore through the youth's throat, and in response to her irritation her magic rose immediately, snapping and hissing in agitation. One of the violet sparks actually went so far as to reach out and snap at the white stream that was Celestine, and Urd watched as the white retreated from it with a small smirk.

"Urd!" Celestine snapped, and suddenly the girl was back in her physical body once more, opening her eyes to find Celestine leaning away from her with a grimace. The man was clutching his own head in the same manner she had her own, and Urd was surprised to see his dark eyes alight with anger. "What is wrong with you, Child?" He barked. "You could have seriously injured me!"

The girl flinched, mouth opening in protest only to be cut off by Celestine before she had a chance to defend herself. "You can't go attacking another god's magic like that! When you are allowing another deity to enter your mind with the intention to heal, you are trusting that person's magic to enter with no malicious intent in mind. Yet that same trust is applied for the entering deity. Just as you trusted me not to harm you where you are most vulnerable to attack, so too was I trusting you not to attack me within the boundaries of your mind, where your magic is strongest!" The man rose from where he'd kneeled at her side, rubbing his face with both his hands. "I'm directly linked to the magic that was sent in to heal you, Urd." He explained, his tone softening. "To attack my magic is to attack me, and the ramifications of something like that-even a small attack-can be painfully aggravated on my physical body."

The man grimaced before letting his hands fall to his sides, and Urd wondered what piece of Celestine she'd hurt. Yet the man was angry with her, and the child found herself lacking the courage to ask him any questions. "Do you understand?" The youth nodded her head enthusiastically, and the man swayed on his feet dangerously. For a moment it looked as though he might topple over, however he quickly righted himself, raking his hands through his long hair one last time. "Fine…we'll speak more on this later." He said gruffly, turning away from her and walking towards the lone closet in the room.

Opening it, the man reached in and grabbed something, before turning and tossing it to Urd with a grunt. She caught the towel easily. "Hurry up and take a bath-and that doesn't mean a quick hop in and out of the tub!" He shouted after her as she bolted from the bed and out the door.

"Got it!" She shouted as she ran past him.

It wasn't until she'd reached the bathing room that Urd realized two things.

The first was that she she'd run past a grown man as naked as the day she was born.

The second was that her head didn't hurt anymore.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later found Urd cautiously entering the dining room, dressed in one of the outfits Celestine had bought for her when he'd learned that the Daimakaicho had delivered Urd to the heavens with little more than the clothes on her back. It was a rather plain, traditional gray dress that hung loosely from her thin frame. Celestine claimed it made her look like a proper young goddess, though it was meant for someone older and bigger than herself. Urd couldn't stand the way the dress made her normally long strides into short, baby steps, yet Celestine seemed to like it well enough, and after upsetting the man she thought it might appease him a little. Especially since the deity had made the headache go away. Urd didn't want him to think her an ingrate.

The smell of something tantalizing wafted in from the kitchen, and Urd's mouth began to water as she poked her head in. A bowl of fresh fruit rested on a table, and Celestine stood across from it, setting down a bowl of porridge besides a bowl of eggs, steam still rising from their shells. Eying the eggs greedily, Urd entered the kitchen, causing Celestine to look up from where he was stirring the porridge.

The man frowned. "I thought you didn't like that dress."

Urd shrugged carelessly, rubbing an arm nervously as she approached the table. "You said we were meeting Belldandy's mom. Figured it'd be better to look like a 'proper deity' for her." The youth grabbed one of the plates resting in the center of the table, reaching over to snag some of the eggs only for Celestine to slap her hand away.

"You know better." He scolded. "Now come here. I want to make sure you actually washed that wet-cat mane of yours."

With an aggravated sigh Urd set the plate down on the table, grudgingly walking around the table and glaring up at Celestine from beneath a pair of silver brows. "I still think water is for drinking, not washing." She grumbled, her cheeks heating up in a blush as the tall man stooped over her, running his hands through her hair and sniffing her head noisily. "It's weird using water instead of sand ."

When he straightened the dark-haired man looked down at her in mock shock. "What's this? Your hair smells like roses! And my fingers didn't latch hold of any tangles! Is it possible the little wild child not only cleaned herself, but actually combed her hair as well? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were going out of your way to look nice." The shock melted into a grin, and carelessly he ruffled her hair. "Why, we may yet make a goddess out of you, little Devil Renderer." He teased, and Urd's flush darkened.

"Can I eat now?" The dark child asked, staring at the ground hard enough that she might have burned a hole in the wood had it been possible.

"I don't know. Did you drink any of the bath water this time?"

"'_Stine!"_

This time the man laughed. "Alright, alright. Enough teasing for now." He shooed her to the table. "Go and get those eggs you love so much."

Grumbling to herself, face still as red as a beet, Urd once more grabbed her bowl, snatching three steaming eggs with her bare hands and an apple before making herself comfortable at the table. Celestine did likewise, helping himself to a bowl of porridge and peeling a banana. "So tell me, is this love of eggs a demon trait? Or is it something you simply enjoy?"

Since their first shared morning together, Urd's one request for breakfast had been eggs upon discovering they were an easily accessible food item in Asgard. Celestine had never though much of it, his mind too filled with questions of Niflheim and Urd's life there, yet today the god found the question roaming in him mind for some strange reason.

It was something that was becoming a morning ritual between the two of them. Three on the rare times Macha was present as well. Celestine would make breakfast, and in return Urd would answer some of his questions about Niflheim and her life back home. So long as he or occasionally Macha didn't ask anything too personal, such as questions about the Daimakaicho, Celestine found Urd didn't mind talking about her life in the demon realm.

Snatching one of the eggs from the bowl, the youth rapped it across her knuckles, breaking the shell. "Both." She said without pause, peeling off pieces of broken shell. "It's 'cause eggs are hard to get. We don't have chickens that you can just go up to an' stick your hand under its butt and take its eggs." Celestine snorted in amusement, and Urd sent him a look. "Eggs are rare in Niflheim." The girl continued. "Nothing back home is just gonna let some demon or some god walk into its nest and take its eggs." The bronze child took a sizable bite out of the egg. "Lesser demons have died trying to steal eggs from the animals back home. Greater demons have died trying to steal eggs from their own kind."

Celestine raised a dark brow. "So stronger demons would try and bully weaker demons out of the eggs they stole?" He asked, cutting the now-peeled banana into pieces above the porridge.

Urd popped the remains of the egg in her mouth, chewing slowly as she thought of how best to respond. "Kinda." She finally said. "But normally the greater demons have to be desperate to want to steal from the lesser demons. More likely to be the other way around. It's more like another demon stealing the eggs from another demon's nest."

Celestine paused from where he'd been about to take a bite of his own meal, staring at her with perturbed black eyes. "You mean to tell me there are demons that lay eggs?" At Urd's nod, the man let his spoon plop back into the porridge. "And there are demons that will steal those eggs?" Another nod. "For _food_?" Again Urd nodded, and for a long time Celestine did nothing but stare at her. "Have you ever...?" He couldn't even bring himself to ask the question.

Urd shrugged. "Maybe." She said. "Sometimes we get eggs, sometimes we don't. No one ever told me where they came from and I didn't care. All I wanted to do was eat 'em." She happily took a large bite of another egg.

Celestine paled considerably. "I'm never eating eggs again." He muttered, rubbing his brow before focusing on his meal once more, this time managing to take a bite his porridge. The tall man grimaced. "Not sweet enough." He grabbed a spoonful of honey and mixed it into the bowl, and this time is was Urd's turn to make a face.

"Gross." She muttered, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She'd tried honey the day prior and had been thoroughly put off by it. The substance was too thick and too sweet and too sticky. Why anyone would want to put something that was made by bugs on their food was a disturbing mystery to her. And after Macha's explanation for how the bees made it...

Seeing her face, Celestine raised an eyebrow. "Don't judge until you've tried it." He advised. "It's not that bad if you mix it all together."

"But you're eating bee vomit!"

"No I'm not. I'm eating porridge with bananas and bee vomit mixed in." Celestine corrected, before pointing to her bowl. "And you're eating unfertilized bird embryos. Alone. Without anything for flavoring. Not even salt. I think we can call it even, Urd."

"Better to eat unfertilized embryos over a bug's throw-up, 'Stine."

The deity stared at her for a moment before groaning, allowing his spoon to fall back into his bowl in disgust. "That's it, I've had enough." Pushing his bowl away from him, Celestine sent Urd a glare. "No more food topics during meals. My stomach can't handle it." The deity sent a glance over to Urd's bowl. "Are you done?" The youth nodded. "Then help me clean up so we can meet Lady Ostara and Belldandy. And for the Almighty's sake, not a word of this to either of them. Lady Ostara might strangle us both."

* * *

"Urd!" Excitedly, Belldandy tugged on her mother's hand, half-leading, half-dragging the older goddess towards where she'd spotted her older sister. "Mama, I see Urd! And Mr. Celestine too! Come on, this way!"

A large smile on her face, the bright-eyed youth waved to the approaching duo, tugging enthusiastically on Ostara's sleeve as she rushed to meet the duo.

Above her head, Ostara chuckled lightly at the child's excitement. "Calm down, Sweet Child." She murmured. "They can see us. There's no need to pull my arm from my shoulder."

Belldandy smiled apologetically up at her mother, easing her grip on Ostara's hand. "Sorry Mama."

Urd needed clothes. Urd needed clothes badly. And Celestine had no clue how to shop for a little girl. Why Celestine required Lady Ostara's assistance over a certain Crow's had been a mystery to her upon hearing the request, yet Belldandy seemed more than happy to agree to Celestine's request before the goddess had a chance to decline.

Today's get together was a long overdue shopping trip upon the discovery that Urd had no clothes of her own nor Celestine the ability to shop for a little girl. Originally Macha had been suggested, being both a woman who worked with younger girls, such as her Fledgeling Valkyries, on a daily basis, only to find the woman conveniently busy.

"Sorry Ostara." The woman had apologized with a grin. "I've got new fledgelings I need to terrorize, and I honestly don't know the first thing about shopping for little girls." This coming from the woman who'd chosen Urd's dresses to begin with, going on nothing but brief glances at Urd to make her choices. If not for Macha, the cur-child would still be wearing the clothes she'd been dressed in upon arriving in the Heavens.

"Good morning Lady Ostara." Celestine greeted, pulling the goddess from her thoughts. The young man bowed lowly to her before greeting Belldandy as well. "Good morning Belldandy."

"Good morning Celestine!" Belldandy cried, tearing herself away from Ostara and launching herself at the god, colliding with the older deity and embracing him in a hug. Chuckling, Celestine returned the hug, and Belldandy released him in favor of her next victim, who was hiding behind the tall man and doing her hardest to look invisible.

"Good morning Big Sister!" And as she'd done to Celestine not a minute prior, Belldandy launched herself at the tan youth, sending an uncomfortable squawk from Urd as the little brunette embraced her. Almost immediately the silver haired youth tensed, and with a grimace the girl sent a pleading look to Celestine, as though asking for his aid.

The look didn't go unnoticed. Ostara raised a dark brow in curiosity. "Why so uncomfortable?" She asked the child. "I thought demons were used to physical interactions. I wouldn't have thought something as simple as a hug would make you so uneasy, Little Urd."

Celestine answered for the youth as Belldandy released her older sister. "So long as it's someone they're familiar with." He said, looking down as he came under the older deity's gaze.

"Is that so?" Ostara tilted her head to one side, green eyes cool and observant. "And who told you this?"

"It was a topic Macha brought up during a dinner conversation one night." The tall man replied. "From what Urd's told us, physical contact is fine and even encouraged among demons who are familiar with each other. Yet if a person is new, or not a demon, physical contact is normally minimal or avoided altogether until both parties are better acquainted."

"Really now? And does this extend to first time meetings with family as well?" Ostara asked, her gaze drifting away from Celestine and down towards Urd, who refused to meet her gaze. "I seem to recall a great deal less hostility when Belldandy embraced you upon first meeting you. Less still when your dear father took you into his arms, sweet child."

The dark child bit her lip before growing bold and meeting Ostara's gaze with her own heated violet. "I didn't really have any time to do anything." She claimed. "How was I supposed to know everyone was gonna get all touchy-feely around me? It was _creepy_. "

The youth shuddered in emphasis, and to everyone's surprise Ostara laughed. "I do seem to recall a rather panicked look in your eyes." The brunette said in amusement. "I believe an ample term would be the Valkyrie's phrase 'shell-shocked' to be exact."

Urd flushed and looked to the ground, perhaps finding her feet more interesting than Ostara's laughing eyes. At her side, Belldandy stared at her sister in concern. "Does it really bothers you?" She asked, and at Urd's hesitant nod Belldandy grew distressed. "I'm sorry!" She cried. "I didn't know! I won't hug you ever again, okay? I promise!"

Urd looked at her younger companion sharply. "I don't think you need to go that far." She muttered. "Just...wait until I'm comfortable enough to hug you first, okay?"

"Oh...okay..." Belldandy stared at the ground gloomily, and Urd rubbed an arm uncomfortably.

Celestine and Ostara watched the two siblings quietly. It was the mother goddess who broke the silence. "Well." She began. "I believe we've made the atmosphere awkward enough for one day." She smiled thinly, and the children looked up at her with a range of emotions traveling across their faces. "I do believe its time we took care of this clothing issue, don't you agree?"

* * *

'Shopping' as it turned out, was a task easier said than done. While Ostara was used to the intricacies and mischief children could get into, Celestine was not. And Urd proved time and time again just how easy it was to lose herself amongst the many deities fulfilling their own shopping duties for the day.

Ostara refused to take any part in keeping an eye on the child. She had her hands full enough ensuring Belldandy didn't vanish as her older sister was quickly making a habit of doing, and if Celestine couldn't keep an eye on one unruly child such as Urd, was he really a worthy mentor for Belldandy?

Celestine bit his tongue on that one. _If I wasn't a 'worthy mentor' as you're so keen on reminding me, then why in the heaven's did the Almighty choose me as her instructor? Why give me the responsibility of trying to raise Urd?_Without Ostara's help, the deity was alone in searching for his ward. The girl had vanished several minutes ago, forcing Celestine to backtrack from where last he'd spied her.

_Could be that He's trying to test you, like he does those mortals He's so found of from time to time._ Soulful Elation chirped, deliberately ignoring the annoyance that manifested in the link shared between god and angel.

Celestine scowled. _If he wanted to test me in such a way, I could have told him ahead of time not to bother. If earning the position of one of the chief-ranking first-class deities entails details such as 'babysitter', 'bloodhound', and 'ignorant, surrogate parent', some other deity can take it. I'm not too sure I'm cut out for this kind of work._ The man brooded, and Soulful Elation laughed.

_Are you so certain? _The angel asked. _For from my perspective, you seem to fill all three of those roles rather well..._ahead of Celestine was a gap in the crowd of gods_, _and for a moment a pair of violet eyes stared up at him. Then Urd laughed and ran towards him, allowing the current of deities to push her closer to the tall god.

"Stine! 'Stine! I found it! Come on, you need to see it, I found what I wanted!" The dark child burst out in front of him, earning the raven-haired several annoyed looks from the surrounding citizens. Ignorant of their looks or simply not caring, Urd grabbed his hand and tugged. "Come _on _'Stine! Before someone else sees it!"

"And what is 'it' that is so important that you let yourself get separated from Lady Ostara and myself, Urd?" Despite his condescending tone, Celestine allowed Urd to pull him through the crowd, no small part of him wondering what had gotten the girl so riled up. And considering the luck they were having in finding any clothes Urd wouldn't glare moodily at...

Urd paid his words no heed, merely looking back up at him with a large smile before pulling Celestine's arm harder, and this time the god actually released a pained grunt. "Urd, will you slow down?" The man asked. "You act as though someone might steal whatever it is from beneath your nose! Is this really so important that you'd drag me there? I can assure you, whatever it is, it will still be there regardless of how fast or slow we go!"

This time Urd shook her head. "I can't believe that!" She cried back at him. "I'm _positive_ someone else will take it before I do. It's too good _not _to take!" The girl didn't expand beyond that, instead slowing just long enough outside a storefront door to open it and drag Celestine inside.

"It's over here." Her voice was softer now that they were inside, and hurriedly Urd pulled Celestine along after her, tugging him through aisle after aisle of cloth before coming to a halt in front of a manikin display. "This is what I want."

The outfit was a deep shade of violet. Gold etching outlined the sleeves and neck and along the dress bottom. The dress itself wasn't very long; primarily coming down to the manikin's knees loosely and providing ample room for movement, while a more decorative cloak attached to the shoulders hung down to the manikin's ankles. A matching golden sash was wrapped around the waist, with a pair of knee-high black boots etched with silver runes to finish the look.

All in all, the outfit looked like it was very much out of Celestine's price range.

"_This _is what you want?" Celestine asked incredulous, tentatively reaching out to touch the fabric. It even felt expensive. A closer inspection revealed a price tag, and Celestine winced. The dress cost enough for a week's worth of outfits for the price range he'd set, and the idea of coughing up so much coin for only one outfit when Urd needed so much more than just one dress made him sweat_._

He eyed the outfit wearily, half-expecting the dress to reach out and bite him. "I don't know, Urd..." He mumbled. "This...is a little too much...especially for one dress."

Urd frowned. "I want this." She stated. "Nothing else will work. The colors...they're my mot-" The youth bit off what she was going to say, and for a brief moment a look of melancholy swept across Urd's face. The child bit her lip before speaking again. "The colors...remind me of good memories." She nodded to herself. "Yeah...purple is a...comforting color. It's-it's reassuring."

The youth was on guard now, Celestine noticed, choosing her words carefully. _Why does she fear revealing so much about her mother?_ The tall man wondered. _Is the world she comes from so dangerous that even a favored color brings danger if revealed?_

The tall man frowned. It was almost pitiful that a child so young felt threatened revealing something so innocent. _So the Daimakaicho enjoys violet, is that it? _The frown deepened. _How much does she miss her mother that she seeks what small bits and pieces that remind her of her old life?_ A man who'd never ventured far from the land of his birth, the idea of 'homesickness' was a foreign concept to Celestine; something he'd only heard and seen evidence of. Nothing the man had ever experienced first hand.

And yet the look on her face...

"So _here_ is where you and your ward vanished to."

Ostara's voice caught him by surprise, and Celestine jumped, looking over his shoulder and finding the goddess in question steadily making her way towards them, Belldandy at her side. The woman wore a small frown on her face that deepened into a scowl as Celestine met her gaze. "I'd grown concerned when neither of you returned to us." She explained. "I've been tearing up half the market searching for the two of you." A brunette brow raised in question. "For your sake, I hope the reason behind it is worth it."

Celestine felt a shiver race down his spine, and from within his mind, Soulful Elation whispered, _Scary Lady is scary._

Feeling Urd suddenly dart behind his back and grab his robe, Celestine was inclined to agree.

Putting on a brave face, Celestine smiled at the goddess. "Urd thinks she might have found some clothes that she might like." He said, looking down at the youth in question and finding the child sending him a rather uncomfortable look. One of her eyebrows was twitching.

_If looks could kill, I'd be ten feet under right now. _Ignoring a look that would have peeled paint, Celestine patted one of Urd's shoulders reassuringly. "Isn't that right, Urd?"

"_'Stine."_ Urd hissed urgently, only for the man to step away and allow her to come under Ostara's green gaze. The youth grimaced.

"Is that so, Little One?" Ostara asked, and unable to meet the woman's gaze, Urd looked at her feet, nodding in agreement.

The woman pursed her lips, looking from Urd to Celestine critically. "And what has she discovered?"

Now it was Celestine's turn to look uncomfortable. "It's, ah..." He pointed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "It's a bit...pricey, so I don't think we'll be getting it..."

"But it's so _cute_!" Belldandy cried, appearing from behind Ostara and trotting over to Urd excitedly. "I bet you'll look really pretty in it, Urd!" The child gave her older sibling a beaming smile, and Celestine was pleasantly surprised to witness the older girl's face turn as red as a tomato.

And in that way, the tension was broken, and a small smile graced Ostara's face. The goddess drew near, and Celestine wisely stepped back, quietly taking himself out of the picture. "Come step close to the dress, child." Ostara motioned Urd closer to the garments. "Lets see how you look ."

The youth did as told, and Ostara nodded, humming to herself in approval. The woman grabbed one of the sleeves. "Extend your arm." The tall woman crouched in front of Urd, and as the youth did as ordered, Ostara moved the sleeve in front of Urd's arm.

"Yes...yes, it seems violet is a good color for you, Urd. It compliments your eyes. And the colors are gentle enough that they don't add too much contrast with your skin." The woman murmured, releasing the sleeve and rocking back onto her heels. "Have you tried it on yet?"

Mutely Urd shook her head, letting her arm drop to her side. "Then go try this on while Belldandy and I find some pieces that might match this outfit." Rising, Ostara gathered the outfit and handed offered it to Urd, who looked at the clothing as though it were a live snake. After a long moment of hesitation, the girl gingerly took the clothes and all but vanished in her haste to depart.

Calmly, Ostara turned her attention to Belldandy, who stood watching her sister's quick departure in curiosity. "Belldandy, be a good girl and go pick something nice out for Urd that would match her dress."

The child blinked before redirecting her attention to the older woman. "Yes Mama." She said, before disappearing behind the many clothes racks that lined the small store.

Absent of children, Celestine decided to bring up a topic that had been bothering him since the early morning. "Urd's going to need training." He said.

Ostara nodded. "Yes. That's normally what happens with children of so young an age." The goddess sent him a sideways glance. "...Or are you referring to something else?"

"The girl lacks discipline." Celestine replied. "She's already got a great deal of power. Power that she knows how to use, as I discovered this morning." The tall man ran a hand through thick obsidian hair. "My head still hurts after she attacked me, even if it was unintentional..." He shook his head. "I was thinking of training her alongside Belldandy."

Ostara gave the man a sharp look. "Celestine, what are you talking about? The child attacked you?"

The god raised his hands in defense, as though warding off an incoming blow. "Unintentionally!" He cried. "She didn't mean it, I'm certain. It's just...I don't think she has the discipline she needs with the amount of power she can already wield."

Ostara narrowed her eyes. "I think it might be best if you started from the beginning."

Celestine grimaced. "It's nothing, really. Urd awoke with a bad headache and I was trying to see if I couldn't get rid of it for her. Everything was fine until her magic lashed out at me." He neglected to mention the conversation that had riled Urd up enough for her magic to actually assault him. "I assure you, Lady Ostara, I'm fine."

The woman scowled, looking him up and down before finally deciding that what Celestine said was indeed true. She didn't appear to relax, however. "Be very careful of what you're considering, Celestine. One student is hard enough, especially when this is your first time as a mentor. Two? One of them with demonic blood?" The goddess snorted. "It'd be easier to hand her off to someone more experienced. That girl will run you ragged before a week has passed."

Celestine frowned. "I appreciate your concern, Lady Ostara, but it will be fine. Besides, it just doesn't seem right teaching one sister while the other does nothing but watch. This way they can learn from each other, and perhaps Urd will gain a better grasp on controlling her magic with someone younger than her looking up to her."

Ostara did not look convinced. "And if it turns out Urd grows only more unruly? I don't want Belldandy injured because a cur-child lacked the discipline to hold back her magic, Celestine." The brunette sighed, closing her eyes in displeasure. "Besides, a student is paired up with the person who is believed to be the best mentor for her. For Belldandy, that was you. You know that Celestine. Yet Urd is not Belldandy, nor has she taken any of the testing required to pair her up with the one she could benefit from the most."

"True." Celestine nodded. "And I agree with you. However until a proper mentor _is _found, I still believe it might be in out best interests for Urd to at least learn from _someone_. Besides," He eyed the goddess at his side. "this will give both her and Belldandy some time to get to know each other, right?"

The goddess pursed her lips, obviously displeased. "I want a proper mentor found for her as soon as possible." She decided. "Until then, I suppose I'll allow you to mentor them both. But only under one condition." She pointed to the taller deity. "During those shared lessons, I want Lady Macha at your side so that she might break apart any unnecessary violence between Belldandy and Urd. Is that clear?"

Celestine winced. "But that...Lady Macha has her duties as a Valkyrie to contend with. You can't expect her to attend every lesson simply to play 'guard' for a pair of children, do you?"

"No." Ostara replied. "However neither do I expect you to give every lesson to both children." She looked at him. "If you must teach Urd, teach her that control and discipline you claim is so lacking in her abilities. Belldandy can benefit from such lessons as well, however that should not be the primary focus of Belldandy's lessons. For those, I expect her lessons to be private." The smile she graced him with was slim. "Different children have different needs, and somehow I sincerely doubt Urd holds any need or interest in learning how to sing for a choir."

"I-I see...yes, I understand, Lady Ostara."

The duo lapsed into silence, watching as in-between aisles Belldandy grabbed one article of clothing after another. Gathering them all in a bundle in her arms, the child darted back and forth between the changing room Urd was locked away in and the clothes racks, depositing one outfit after another at the top of the wooden door. Occasionally, a dark hand would reach up and snatch one of the hangers, and the garment would disappear on the other side of the door.

It was Ostara who broke the silence once more. "That child is scared to death of me." She stated. "The way she hides behind you, it's as though she believes I'll kill her if given the opportunity." She shook her head with a frown. "Of course, given some of the rumors about Niflheim, perhaps there's some rational behind her fear." The goddess muttered as an afterthought.

"Oh?" Celestine peered at her in curiosity, and Ostara shrugged.

"The offspring of certain beasts will kill their siblings at birth, you recall I mentioned that to you?" At Celestine's nod, the woman continued. "Likewise, there are certain beasts that will kill the offspring of a rival if they manage to steal that one's mate. And considering how savage the Demon-kin are, perhaps something similar happens in Niflheim."

Celestine couldn't help but snort in amusement at that. "So you're saying that because you are now the spouse of Urd's father, that little girl believes her life is in danger?" He shook his head. "I think that might be taking things a little too far, Lady Ostara. I think she's just intimidated by you. You do have a bit of an...intimidating persona whenever she's around, after all."

Yet the goddess merely looked at him. "Yes." She agreed. "I am still cautious around her for I still do not believe she can be fully trusted around my daughter yet. And so perhaps it creates a bit of an aggressive aura around me. However that does not mean I'll slaughter the girl in her sleep or poison her next meal."

Ostara shook her head, sending chestnut hair flying. "When you think about the Daimakaicho though...when you put that woman in my shoes...what do you get?" She peered at Celestine from the corner of one emerald eye. "Do you not think, that if it were Belldandy who'd gone to Niflheim rather than Urd to Asgard, that things would be different? Do you honestly think _that_ woman would tolerate the offspring of her prior lover and another woman in her halls?"

Celestine could think of no response, and so the woman continued. "_That_ woman has always been of the more vicious sort." She said. "Even before the wars, before _Niflheim_, I've always known her as a wild beast of a woman. A temper worse that a dragon's and with a possessive streak as bad as a gryphon's." Celestine was surprised to see the woman shudder. "Vicious, bloodthirsty woman. It was no wonder Odin favored her. He always had a thing for the more savage entities."

Celestine wisely held his peace, wanting to ask more but finding a clothes shop in the middle of the day was not the appropriate place. Instead he decided to change the subject. "I don't know if I'll have enough money for all these clothes." The tall man admitted. "They're rather expensive."

Ostara sent him a sharp look,and Celestine was surprised to see what might have been relief flash across her face. "Money won't be a concern." She said. "Though I appreciate your offer to buy, it was already decided earlier in the week that I'd be the one buying."

"What?"

The goddess nodded. "Do you think I came on this little outing purely to allow Belldandy to meet with her sister? Celestine, despite your position as well as the additional funds Lady Macha is bringing in, it is improper to expect you to provide so much for that girl without support. Especially given the rather..._unique_ circumstances behind her becoming your ward. My husband supplied me with a rather generous portion of funds to ensure Urd was properly clothed, and with the education you're giving Belldandy, an additional pay will be added for watching over Urd."

Ostara smiled in amusement at the bewildered look that dawned on Celestine's face at the announcement. "Never let it be said that those who serve the Almighty are not justly rewarded."

For a long moment Celestine stared at the goddess, desperately searching for the right words to express his gratitude. "T-thank you, Ma'am." He finally stuttered out. "But I can't-it isn't-"

Ostara cut him off. "Celestine, be a good lad and accept it. It isn't as though you've not earned it. And given how...unpredictable Urd seems to be, I do believe you'll be needing those additional funds."

"But-"

"If you're so adamant on paying us back, then take that money you brought with you for Urd's clothes and use it to treat us all to lunch. Understand? Beyond that, I don't want to hear another word of it."

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Bah, I couldn't stand writing this chapter. As usual, the original plan was blown to smithereens upon writing this chapter, and the point I wanted to reach won't happen until the next one. So instead it's more devoted to two different cultures coming together in a clash. That and lots of talk._


	16. Migraines

An hour later found a pack of four in a restaurant within the local area. The restaurant was nameless, owned and run by the goddess first-class Demeter. The woman was a close, personal friend and relative of Ostara, being a god of the harvest. Her food was legendary on the _Yetzirah_, and Ostara had used the excuse of a delivery of some of her own produce to strengthen her decision to meet the Greek goddess.

The building was grand and gorgeous, an epitome of Greece architecture. The building was built more as a temple of worship rather than a dining facility, with its sloped roof decorated with carving of beasts and men and the many marble-like pillars shaped as men supporting it with their arms. Rumors had it that Demeter obtained the statues from the Gorgon sisters after Medusa's death; taking the many victims cluttering their living space and giving them new life in her chambers. Upon passing the statue of one man, even Celestine was forced to admit there might be some truth in those rumors. The expression of pain and sorrow exhibited on the statue's face was so real, that just for a moment the god saw him alive, feeling the statue's despair as real as if it were his own.

It certainly ran contrary to the other rumors of Demeter's time as a morbid artist, creating depressing pieces of art to help pass the time after her daughter eloped with the God of the Underworld.

Perhaps Demeter was just that talented.

The building was primarily designed to serve more as an outdoor patio rather than an indoor restaurant, and even seated as they were, Celestine could still feel a warm, gentle breeze filtering through the area, bringing with it the enticing scents of food and mingled mix of deities. Several bags of nothing but children's clothing lay hidden beneath the table, and across from him Celestine watched in amusement as two young girls fought to read the menu. The god himself had already given up on trying to decipher the foods, which consisted of appetizers called _Fruit of the Fallen_, drinks such as _The River Styx_, and meals consisting of _Tartarus' Earth_, _Elysium Harvest_,_ Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious, Cerberus Tails, Tongues, and Toes,_ and _Hades' Arse._ None of the food held any descriptions; however, word of mouth said that the last dish in particular was Demeter's specialty.

Apparently the names were crafted by Persephone and inspired by the land Hades itself. Except for _Hades' Arse._ _That_ name was all Demeter's. Apparently she was still a little sore over her daughter's love affair and later marriage to the Underworld God.

"What's the '_Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious_'?" Belldandy asked, directing her attention to her Ostara.

The brunette looked up from her menu, gracing the child with an amused smile. "A soup." She said.

"Is it _really_ made from the souls of the weak and laborious?" Urd chimed in, and Ostara sent the girl a look.

"Will my answer ultimately decide whether you choose to consume the soup or not?" Ostara asked, and Urd stared. The goddess sighed. "Allow me to rephrase my last statement. Urd, do you _want_ to eat the souls of the weak and laborious?"

Celestine didn't bother to hide his snort as the girl actually seemed to consider the question. The youth pursed her lips. "…Will I get in trouble if I say 'yes'?"

The goddess stared at the youth with a raised eyebrow, and Urd grinned sheepishly before hiding herself behind the menu. Belldandy giggled. "I want to try it too!" She cried. "Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious, Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious!" She chanted in a sing-song voice, and the look of disbelief that crossed Ostara's face was such a change from her more serious self that even Celestine had to bite back a chuckle lest he suffer from the brunette's emerald glare.

Ostara leaned back in her chair with a sigh, shaking her head ruefully. "Of all the…no, no. I've decided already I don't need to know. Belldandy, Urd, if the both of you are so curious as to what the soup consists of, than by all means try it." The goddess scooted her chair back, rising to her feet and looking down at Celestine. "I'll trust you with the orders, Celestine. Order whatever you wish for myself-I've already sampled everything both on the menu and off. I need to speak with Demeter."

Celestine nodded, watching as the goddess departed and approached a woman with silver-streaked, curly black hair and copper skin. Turning back to the children, he found Urd staring intently at him. "Is _Cerberus Tails, Tongues, and Toes _really made from-"

"Yes." He cut her off quickly. "I take it you want to eat the tail, tongue, and toes of a three-headed snake-hound?"

Urd smiled cheekily, and this time Celestine smirked. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

The silver-haired youth stared at him with an overly-innocent expression, and Celestine shook his head. "If you want it, you can have it, but you're going to eat everything you get whether you like it or not. Understand?"

"Okay." Urd nodded in agreement, and Celestine hailed a waitress. Another woman with the deep, coppery skin and curly black hair of the Greek and Roman gods, she held no sigils on her face, signaling her a lesser spirit, most likely in the employment of Demeter or perhaps Persephone.

"Good Afternoon," She greeted, bowing deeply to the trio and causing the two sisters to stare. "I am called Eurydice, and I'll be your host for the day. Have you decided on your meals?"

The tall god nodded. "Two orders of Elysium Harvest and-"

Urd bounced in her seat. "Celestine! _I_ want to order!"

Belldandy imitated her. "Me too! Me too! Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious!"

"And Cerberus! I want Cerberus!"

Celestine sent the waitress a sheepish smile, yet the woman remained unfazed, smiling at the girls and jotting down their orders. "And would you like any appetizers?"

Belldandy and Urd looked at each other, their eyes holding a spark so similar that for a moment the two children really _did _look like sisters. Then they both leveled those twin gazes at Celestine, and the man found himself staring at a pair of puppies.

The deity didn't stand a chance. "…And one order of the Fruit of the Fallen." He said, resigned. Eurydice scribbled once more down on her notepad with a soft hum, and Belldandy and Urd smiled and giggled.

"Alright, I'll be back shortly with your orders." The woman bowed once more to the trio before departing, and Celestine watched with a raised brow as both children watched her retreating form.

It was Urd who finally broke the question. "…What is she?" She asked, turning back to Celestine with a tilt of the head. Silver brows furrowed together in curiosity. "I've never seen someone like…well…_her_ before."

At her side, Belldandy nodded in agreement. "She's different from other spirits." The youth put in. "It's like…like…" The girl bit her lip, taking a quick glance back at the woman before returning her gaze to Celestine. When the tall man gently urged her on the youth said, "A nymph. She's like a nymph. Only her aura's dark. Like a soul that belongs in the Underworld."

"But?" Celestine challenged, and the girl pursed her lips.

"But…the Underworld is s'posed to be for humans, right?" She asked. "Why would a nymph be cast to the Underworld?"

Celestine leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, sometimes there are certain exceptions made to special individuals." He said. "On occasion, even deities are known to descend to the Underworld for a time. The reasons are various; a need for maturity by facing the 'dead self', to seek wisdom from those who've already departed, perhaps even to visit someone who chose the Underworld as his place of rest over the true 'death' a god might know with the destruction of his true body."

"Like Baldr the Bright?"

Celestine winced reflexively at the name yet nodded none the less. "Yes Belldandy, just like Baldr the Bright. But we'll wait until you're more experienced before going into _that_ subject." The death of one of the higher gods in the heavens was still something of an open wound for many deities, and to speak of such things in so open a place was a fool's move.

Urd, listening intently, spoke up once more. "So why her? She's not a deity or a human. There's no reason for her to be in the Underworld, right?"

"It is for a lesson." Ostara approached, baring with her a pale young woman who pulled up a chair from an empty table. The newcomer held a strong resemblance towards the goddess Ostara had been conversing with prior, and as the duo sat the girl shot Urd a smile. "Sometimes there are people who fear age and the maturity and wisdom that come with it. They seek to forever retain their youthfulness and thus act the child because of it. Yet a person cannot properly grow as a person without maturing, and to deny themselves that growth is damaging to the soul."

Urd sent the woman a perturbed look. "So she is part of the Underworld to grow up?" She asked. "That seems kinda…mean."

The stranger giggled, reaching into a pocket of her gown and pulling out a pomegranate. She began to peel it. "Ah, no my dear. Eurydice's death is not for _her_ maturity. The lass is a nymph. It takes centuries for her race to reach maturity. Brining her to Hades for maturity would be like teaching a turtle to sprout wings and fly."

Urd scowled. "Then who's it for?" She whined, earning a glare from Ostara that promptly silenced her.

The stranger didn't seem to notice, reaching across the table and grabbing the small plate that was placed before Ostara. "It is for her spouse." She responded.

"Lackwit Stringplucker." Ostara muttered.

The woman sent the older goddess a half-serious glare before continuing. "You see Orpheus, her husband, is a grand musician. Being a son of Apollo he is a poet with no equal. Yet it comes at a great price to him, for the man is born of a human mother and therefore filled with human weakness. Those…weaknesses have portrayed themselves more and more as the years pass, with no sign of the man seeking to move past that more human aspect of him and ascend to true godhood. It has caused much strife among several deities in particular," The woman sent a pointed look at Ostara. "And so has left us with few options."

The pomegranate peeled, the stranger carefully broke it open with a knife, causing red juice to seep forth like the wounds on a beast. "Those options eventually led us to taking his wife from him, in the hopes that her departure would 'wake him', in a sense." The stranger shook her head, sending thick black curls bouncing across her face. "It did not."

Ostara snorted in disdain. "Had the whole of the heavens weeping with those shoddy lyrics of his." The brunette growled out. "I swear, if there was such a thing as common sense, a god would have invented it and used it to shove that lyre of his right up his-" Abruptly the woman silenced herself, staring at the kids before redirecting her attention to the woman. "I apologize Persephone. It was rude of me to interrupt."

Persephone looked like she was holding back a laugh, and before Urd had a chance to ask where it was that lyre was to be shoved, the goddess continued. "Yes…yes he did, Cousin. He played a song so mournful that the mere sight of it causes my eyes to burn even now. He played for so long that the strings cut through the callouses on his fingers, and when they began to bleed he played even more, numb to his own physical pain and uncaring of those around him. It was so bad that people began to lose themselves to the song, growing so depressed that no fields were plowed, no work was done." She sent a furtive look to Celestine and Ostara. "No battles were fought nor did a man lie down with a woman. It was almost as bad as the time Inanna decided to visit her sister after the death of the Bull of Heaven."

The death goddess looked at Belldandy and Urd and winked. "Now _there's _a story to ask your mother when you're older."

Ostara cleared her throat loudly, and with a laugh Persephone continued. "Something needed to be done. The world could not exist with such depression in the world. And so my husband gave him a chance."

"At your nagging." Ostara said lightly.

Persephone ignored it. "And allowed Orpheus to try and bring her back."

The woman sighed in frustration. "Yet even _that_ proved to be too great a task for him." The hints of a definite growl arose in her words, and the air seemed to grow cool at the change of emotions. It wasn't until Urd shivered that the woman blinked and withdrew her aura from the surrounding gods. "He failed, and so we took Eurydice back. The problem _now_ was that Orpheus had seen the entrance to Hades."

"In other words, the dolt knew where you lived and began harassing you." Ostara clarified, and this time Persephone nodded in agreement.

"That guy…" Persephone muttered. "_That_ guy…I have no words to describe the horrors he inflicted upon the Gates of Hades." The woman gave an irritated growl. "I've still not fully forgiven him for vandalizing the Gates with magenta dye. And what he did to poor Cerberus!" The woman paused and looked around the table as though forgetting the company she was in. Then the goddess took a deep and calming breath before starting again. "He…forced me to call in a few favors. Needless to say, he's stopped for the moment."

"Dare I ask?" Celestine spoke up, his own curiosity getting the better of him as Persephone returned the plate, pomegranate peeled and in slices, to the center of the table. The death goddess sent the man a furtive smile. "Let's just say that the cult of Dionysus is not a fan of melodramatic melodies."

"Cult of…" The tall man stared at the woman in confusion before letting the topic drop with a shake of his head. Perhaps when there weren't children present he'd seek Persephone out and ask her for further clarification. As it was, the woman's attention was already focusing on Belldandy and Urd.

"Children? The Fruit of the Fallen." The deity swept her hand out to the pomegranates. "Enjoy." Celestine watched on with a raised eyebrow as Urd cautiously took a piece, examining it carefully before looking over to Belldandy and imitating her sisber by removing the seeds with a spoon and consuming them. Violet eyes widened in shock, and the girl's lips puckered at the flavor. "It's sour!" She exclaimed, causing her younger sister to giggle.

Celestine grinned in amusement, looking over to Persephone with a raised brow. "So tell me." He said. "Was it you or Demeter who thought up such creative names for these dishes?"

Persephone laughed and shrugged. "Who do you think?" She retorted. "I had to do _something_ to occupy my time during the seasons I shared with my mother."

* * *

Just as the Fruit of the Fallen was little more than a pomegranate, so too were the other dishes similarly named. Ostara's words rang true. The Tasty Souls of the Weak and Laborious being a hearty stew red with fresh tomatoes, beef, onions, garlic, and seasonal vegetables served with a side of bread dabbed in olive oil. In contrast, Elysium Harvest was a dish rich in regional vegetables, wild rice, and venison. Cerberus Tails, Tongues, and Toes were creatively styled to look like the aforementioned limbs, with plump, vibrant cherry tomatoes to make the 'toes', a slice chicken covered in red sauce serving as the 'tongue', and a line of rice neatly compacted around the plate in a 'tail'.

Only some of the scents were familiar to Urd, many of the foods presented being alien dishes Niflheim didn't have. Used to meals primarily made of different types of meats and whatever juices could be gathered safely from hostile, native plant life, the girl's pallet was still adjusting to the foods found in the Heavens. Tomatoes she'd been introduced to a couple of days ago, yet they were the big, red tomatoes that 'Stine cut like apples, and the tiny cherry tomatoes were as delightful in size as they were sweet. The rice, covered in a complementary spicy red sauce that used tomatoes as a stock was almost a taste of home with how it made her mouth tingle, and yet the rice alone was different from anything else she'd ever eaten before. Apparently grains like couscous weren't a staple food in Asgard, and the breads they made were thick and airy and fluffy in comparison the thinner, malleable flatbreads she and Marller used to beg off the kitchen staff.

It made the youth curious. Something she'd grown a love for upon entering the Heavens were the assorted foods that Asgard seemed so rich in, and now the girl greedily eyed the surrounding dishes, nose twitching as she inhaled their foreign scents. Violet eyes grew contemplative, and the youth turned to regard her younger sister. "Hey Belldandy." She said. "I'll give you a tomato if you let me try some of your bread and soup."

The younger girl looked at her sister in curiosity before smiling. "Sure!" She chirped, startling the bronze youth with the ease at which she accepted the bargain. As a demon, Urd was used to bartering with others for just about anything, particularly if the one she was haggling with knew she held a particular interest in the item. For one to so easily to give into any exchange was more than a little off putting.

Belldandy cheerfully broke a slice of bread in half, dipping it in her soup before offering it to Urd. The youth took it, twisting her plate in turn to allow the younger goddess a choice of the remaining tomatoes. The bread itself was warm, regardless of the soup it had been dunked in and as Urd took a bite of it, violet eyes lit up. "This is good!" The youth chirped, before steadily devouring the piece.

Across the table, Persephone paused in her conversation with Ostara, glancing over to the dark child with a small frown. The younger woman turned back to her cousin. "Urd." The coppery woman said, her voice soft and low. "You said she was of the demon-kin?"

Ostara's gaze darkened momentarily before nodding. "Yes." She replied. "She is." The woman never noticed the child in question's sudden attention. "What of it?"

Persephone bit her lip. "Well…" She started. "Do you know about-"

A scream and a clatter of pots and pans drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant to the kitchen area. A man burst out, his skin black to the point of seared and a chef's knife buried to the hilt in his chest. Behind him, doors still swinging, more cutleries emerged to chase him further away. A pan collided with the stranger's head, and the man paused, eyes like steel sweeping the room and its many denizens.

"Get out!" Demeter screamed.

The world seemed to freeze as the many deities within the building stared in shock at the stranger.. No one spoke. No one seemed even to breath as the many occupants stared at the deity with wide eyes. Then a broom handle emerged from the kitchen, born by a rather irate Demeter, and the wood collided with the man's skull. A hollow _crack_ echoed through the restaurant, yet if the man felt it he gave no sign, gray eyes settling on one person in particular and making a bee line for the Persephone.

Persephone herself seemed to be the only one aside from her mother and the stranger not in a state of shock, and with a long-suffering sight the woman rose to her feet. "Dear Husband." She said, and the man came to a stop behind Urd's chair. The youth squirmed uncomfortably beneath him. "Have you forgotten the 'Stay Out Hades' sign Mother placed outside her shop?"

Hades did not so much as blink. Not even when Demeter came up behind him and slashed her make-shift wooden sword at his neck. The broom handle splintered. "You're late." Was all he said. A fork, it's prongs buried in this thick, curly hair, was sticking out of his head at an odd angle.

"What must a mother do to keep such a wretched man away from her daughter?" Demeter cried. The poor woman was ignored.

Persephone rubbed her forehead in irritation. "Honey, I told you I would be a little late this year. The Almighty brought His eldest daughter into His court and I wanted to meet her, remember?"

A corner of Hades' mouth twitched in what might have been a frown. "Have you not met her yet?"

Persephone pointed, and Hades looked down, perhaps noticing Urd for the first time. The deity's gaze was overpowering, it was so intense, and Urd felt a shiver race down her spine. Dead eyes. Dead eyes that had returned to life. Those were the kind of eyes she was staring in to. They were too unnatural. "…There's a knife in your chest." Goetia Nebiros also had eyes like that. The flat, dead eyes of a fish.

Hades' gaze dropped from the youth to the knife handle. "So there is." He said. The man's dead gaze returned to Urd. "Would you be so kind as to remove it for me?"

"Hades!" Persephone snapped.

Something that sounded oddly like a squeak emerged from the youth's throat, yet none the less the girl's hands moved to wrap around the handle. With a mute tug, the blade slid loose, emerging from the Underworld deity's chest black and lumpy. _Look Urd! It's Cancer!_ For whatever reason Marller's voice, inappropriately cheerful and bordering the line of hysteria, sang in her mind.

It reminded her _so_ much of that time with Nebiros. She and Marller had snuck into the room Hild had given him while in her castle. The demon had been working on some kind of potion when the two of them had been discovered. And then of course Marller had panicked and something fell into that pot and there was that Nidhogg-blessed explosion and…

"_Zombie!"_ Urd screamed, and promptly threw the knife at Hades' head, much to the pleasure of Demeter. Fortunately, Urd was not a skilled knife thrower, and rather than having a blade lodged in his head, the wooden handle instead bounced off Hades' forehead. It then proceeded to fall to the ground with a clatter.

"Ow." Hades said flatly.

"Urd!" Ostara shouted.

Yet before the Underworld god or Ostara could comment further Urd was off in a panic, racing out of her chair and around the table before anyone could question what it was the youth was doing.

Celestine was on his feet in an instant, and as the girl raced through a maze of tables, chairs, and patrons the god chased after her, vaulting over tables with the ease of a cat as the tall man fought to catch up with the girl. Shouts and hollers filled the air, yet for girl and man they fell on deaf ears.

"Yggdrasil bless it Urd!" Celestine shouted, catching the child before she could exit the patio and scooping her up in his arms. "What's gotten into you?" He demanded, causing the youth to flinch. "You could have seriously injured Hades. Is throwing a knife at an Underworld entity some demonic way of saying 'Nice to meet you'?"

Urd squirmed in his grip, fighting to escape the man's arms. "No!" She cried. "He's a zombie, 'Stine! A _zombie_!" Don't you people know how dangerous they are?

"Urd, Hades is not a zombie."

"Lies! You speak lies!"

Cheeks red with embarrassment, Celestine sighed as he brought his squirming, clawing, biting charge back to the table, muttering apologies to the many customers he passed. The look on Ostara's face was murderous. Belldandy was laughing and Persephone was shaking her head. Hades was staring at them both with a raised eyebrow with Demeter behind him, staring at the two of them in open curiosity.

Desperately fighting off wild blows tinted with violet magic, Celestine grimaced. "Sorry about this."

Hades shrugged indifferently. "The child would not be the first to make an attempt at my life." He glanced back at Demeter. "…Just the youngest." The man turned his attention back to Celestine, steel gray eyes falling upon Urd. Looking into the man's eyes, the lass seemed to lose the fight in her and instead fell silent, staring at the Underworld deity with wild violet. "Though I am curious as to your title of 'zombie', Child." The man murmured. "I've come across several entities to have earned such a title, yet I have never before been graced with it myself."

Something that might have been a frown passed across the man's face. "Furthermore, how one so young even knows what such a thing is speaks volumes to me." The man took a step closer, and Urd felt the hair on the back of her neck raise in trepidation. "Tell me, what do you know of such creatures? I'm curious as to your experience with them."

Urd cringed. If not for the secure grip Celestine had around her she'd have crawled on top the deity's head at Hades' approach. "Zombies are reanimated corpses." She said. "Filled with rot and disease and viruses that spread from one person to the next. They live to serve the one who gave them life, but if the summoner is killed they will roam aimlessly and attack anything with hot blood."

Hades nodded. "A very well educated young lady, as well. With the way you threw that knife, it was almost as though you had a prior experience with them."

Urd flushed, suddenly finding herself under the scrutiny of one too many deities. She almost forgot it was the zombie deity who'd asked her the question. "Well it…that is…" The silver-haired youth squirmed self-consciously as her mind recalled that horrendous encounter with Nebiros. "There is a Goetia in Niflheim who can control the legions of the dead." She said finally. "One day…well…something happened that caused the legions to go all crazy and stuff." The girl shuddered against Celestine. "That had not been a fun time."

Hades leaned back, stroking a thick, curly beard in thought. "I seem to recall an incident like that." He said. "A Goetia demon…Nebiros, I believe, had a spell go wrong. Several hundred spirits were stolen from me and taken to Niflheim, and when they finally returned to me, I was informed that the Goetia had been interrupted in a spell that had nothing to do with summoning by a pair of demon children." He eyed Urd carefully. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Urd stared back. "You're not really a zombie, are you." She accused.

"Zombies are not quite as independent as I am." Hades replied with a nod. "Hard to kill, yes. Zombie, no."

* * *

After a great many apologies and helping righten any overturned tables and chairs from the wild dash, the group of four managed to depart. The sun was well past noon by the time they left, and Urd shivered despite the warmth it offered her. She could still feel Hades' gray eyes following her out the building, despite the fact that the deity was not upset with her. Something about that man put her off in ways too similar to Nebiros, who'd always creeped her out even before the zombie incident in Niflheim.

As the sun's rays beat down on her the silver-haired youth grimaced, running a hand through short locks. The world was always so _bright _after exiting a building, and half the time the lass felt as though Sol or Shammash or whichever deity was in charge of the sun that day was intentionally trying to blind her. This time was no different, and momentarily the youth closed her eyes, fighting against the pounding in her head that slowly accompanied her outdoors.

For once the youth held her peace, knowing that she'd gotten on Ostara's bad side with the whole 'kill a zombie' incident. Best to try and get back into the woman's good graces before doing anything else. The look on the woman's face even now was scary; tight-lipped and stiff with eyes raging in a way that reminded Urd of her own mother's anger.

And so Urd did what any wise child would do. She kept her mouth shut.

The girl was not alone in her silence, either. Belldandy sensed her mother's mood as easily as did Urd, and the little girl wandered quietly next to Urd, certain something was wrong yet lacking the courage to speak.

Ostara looked over to Celestine as they walked. The man's arms were full of nothing but bags from their little shopping spree, and the goddess sighed. "Celestine, give me the bags." She said, and in confusion the younger deity offered them to her, carefully slipping the many packages off his arms and into the fertility goddess'. "There are some errands I need to run per Demeter's request." The brunette explained. "Errands that would not be fitting for a child to attend. I believe this would be an excellent time to see if you can't get some of those lessons you were hoping to pass on to Belldandy and Urd, wouldn't you agree?"

Startled, Celestine stared at the woman, while Urd and Belldandy looked on in curiosity. "Lady Ostara?" He questioned, "Are you certain? I know we discussed their lessons earlier, however I was working under the assumption that those lessons would start later. I hadn't planned on educating either of them so soon.""

The woman tilted her head off to one side in mild curiosity. "Oh?" She asked. "Are you saying you're incapable of spontaneously breaking out into lecture?"

There was nothing teasing in her tone. No humor, no laughter, no mocking tone to scold the man with. Merely a question that seemed all the more biting for its lack of humor or cruelty. It caused the man to wince before shaking his head. "No Ma'am, that wasn't what I was implying." He said. "You just surprised me at the sudden request. I should be able to mentor them both without any difficulty."

Ostara graced the man with an approving smile. "Good." She said simply. "In that case, I'll leave Belldandy in your capable hands." The elder goddess turned to the children, swooping gracefully down to one knee as she looked at her daughter. "Belldandy, I need to run some chores." She explained. "Celestine is going to mentor you and Urd while I'm gone, understand?"

The youth nodded. "Yes Mother."

The woman kissed the child on the head before turning her gaze to Urd. Her eyes narrowed minutely, and the youth felt the anger from before rise fresh from the maternal goddess. "And _you_." She warned. "You listen to what Celestine has to say and take it to heart. You've caused enough trouble for one day."

A small part of Urd wondered what happened if she challenged the goddess. It was the same piece of her that often convinced the youth to play games that left her fleeing from her mother's rage. Common sense won out in the brief battle of consciousness that followed, and Urd quickly nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

"Good." Ostara repeated, before rising to her feet once more. Bags in hand, the goddess nodded to Celestine. "I'll return for Belldandy before the sun sets. Teach her well." And with that the goddess was off, vanishing into the surrounding crowds of deities as Belldandy waved her off.

A hand came to rest on Urd's shoulder as the youth watched the woman disappear. The youth looked up, finding Celestine's face smiling down at her comfortingly. "Come." He said. "I believe a trip to the park is in order."

The hand on her shoulder shifted away from the bronze child as the deity offered it to the silver-haired youth. Hesitating, Urd finally moved to grasp it, watching as Belldandy followed her example with Celestine's other hand, though lacking any hesitation.

Together, the trio of children and adult moved away from the more urban metropolis of gods and to the more secluded, peaceful areas alive with flora and fauna both native and foreign. Birds sang gaily in the canopy while butterflies and bees took their fill of nectar from flowers. A squirrel angrily chittered at a chipmunk, which quickly scurried to its underground burrow upon the gods' approach. The air was heavy with the perfume of roses and evergreens.

Celestine led the children to a cedar, easing himself down against the tree's trunk with a content sigh. Urd and Belldandy shared a look before following his example, the bronze child resting her weight on an unearthed root while Belldandy sank down next to Celestine.

"I want you both to get into a comfortable sitting position." Celestine said. "What we're about to do will leave you sitting in that position for a while and it's going to be a rather uncomfortable, haphazardly experience if you're continuously squirming about."

Curiosity getting the better of her, Urd shifted to a cross-legged position that mimicked her sister's. "What are we going to do?" Belldandy asked tilting her head to one side in curiosity.

"We're going to perform an exercise meant to discipline the mind." Celestine replied. "Belldandy, when you grow old enough, eventually you'll reach the point where you'll start learning magic. Urd I know already knows a bit from her time with her mother. Regardless, in order to perform any spell, be it as simple as lighting a candle or as complicated as producing hurricanes, the mind needs to be strong and disciplined."

Urd huffed dramatically. "I don't see why I need this now." She ground out. "I've been using my magic for months without any 'discipline'. Why do _I _gotta learn this stuff?"

Celestine spared the bronze child a raised eyebrow. "Would you mind telling us how you managed to control your magic then, Urd?" He asked. "If there's a different, more effective means of controlling one's magic without discipline, I'm open to hearing it."

The dark child crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, of course there's another way!" She cried confidently. "You learn, you fight, you survive and grow stronger!" The youth's grin was vicious, reminding Celestine uncomfortably of her mother.

The man frowned. "And just…who were you fighting during these…learning escapades?"

"Marller of course!" Urd shouted, as though expecting the duo to know exactly who the person in question was. "My best friend! She's as good at magic as I am, but she's really fast, and I have to be faster with my magic if I want to hit her."

Belldandy sent her sister an uncomfortable look. "That sounds…really mean…" She said softly, only for Urd to shake her head.

"Nah." The youth dismissed it with a wave of her hand, "It's not mean at all when she's trying so hard to break your arm or gouge your eyes out or even try and bite your nose off. Because she's not so good with magic, she likes to be more physical instead, so I need to use my own magic to keep her at a distance." The girl laughed, something that sounded disturbingly morbid based on her current thoughts. "Sometimes I'd be able to stress her out enough that I could get her to bite back with magic over her Old Man's moves, and that's when I _really _got better at magic."

Belldandy let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whimper, leaning into Celestine's side as though seeking shelter in his body. Celestine's frown deepened as he wrapped a comforting arm around the child. _Is this girl related to Aries? How can one so young hold such a cruel gaze in her eyes?_

Aloud he said, "Well…that's certainly a different style." He chose his words carefully, disliking the hugry look that had dawned on Urd's face. "However, I don't think suck a method would work with Belldandy or many other deities in the heavens." _At least not for the peaceful ones, anyways._

Urd's face fell. "Why not?" She demanded.

"Well, as opposed to Niflheim, not everyone is a threat here." Celestine explained, scratching the back of his head as Urd scowled at him. "There's no reason for such violence here as no one is going to attack you; even the more volatile gods are restricted from attacking another deity in the heavens without heavy restrictions placed upon their person beforehand. Rarely do gods attack other gods, and the few exceptions are usually are unstable somehow or are following orders after such an unstable individual. Besides, do you _really_ want to go and attack your little sister, Urd?"

Urd opened her mouth to respond, then closed it, thoughtfully observing both Belldandy and Celestine.

The mere fact that her immediate answer was not 'no, of course not', was rather disheartening.

The elder god sighed. "You know what, don't answer that question." _I don't think I want to know._ The man forced a smile onto his face. "As interesting as your…education was in Niflheim, I think it might be better for you to try the way thing work here instead, Urd. After all, you're going to be spending quite a bit of time here in Asgard, so it would do you some good to start adapting to some of the local culture."

Urd stuck out her lip in a pout, obviously displeased by the lack of interest in her methods of training. Yet the lass didn't seem like she was going to lose herself to some sort of demonic bloodrage and start throwing magic at Belldandy and himself either, and so Celestine let it slide. "Now, lets get back to the original method at hand." He started, lifting his arm away from Belldandy and signaling for her to straighten. "Are we all comfortable now?" As Belldandy shifted into a position that did not have her leaning against Celestine, the man continued. "What we're about to do is a simple exercise to help strengthen your concentration. With a stronger focus, it's possible to access the more higher spells that you both will be learning throughout your lives as you grow older; however, in order to achieve that level of power, we need to start with the basics."

Belldandy listened attentively, light-brown brows scrunched together in curiosity. Urd, on the other hand, appeared less than impressed with what Celestine had to say, her expression bored as the youth stared at the god with crossed arms.

Celestine himself paid neither child any mind, falling into the 'lecture mode' that made him such an attractive mentor candidate in the first place. "Now, I want you both to close your eyes. Focus on your breathing; breath in for three seconds…hold for three seconds…and exhale for three seconds." The man nodded in approval, watching as both children, regardless of personal interest, did as ordered. "Yes, that's good. Again." He said. "Inhale…hold…exhale…" The man's words became a mantra, guiding the children's breaths into an easy-to-follow rhythm. After several minutes of acting as their guide, Celestine stopped speaking entirely, and instead merely observed the children, watching for any hiccups in the tempo he'd set for them.

Several minutes passed, and Celestine spoke again. "Now we're going to move into the next phase of the exercise." He said, his voice soft so as not to distract either child. "Keeping the pace you've set for yourself, I want you to visualize a ball of light in your mind. Imagine it engulfing your body, spreading out like a small sun to about a foot away from your skin. This is a representation of your magical aura. Now is where I need you both to really concentrate. Slowly draw all that light back into your body. This will make the aura more concentrated and therefore more powerful for when first you need to call upon it."

Celestine fell silent once more, closing his own eyes and instead opening his magical Third Eye. The world that greeted him was a mass of ultraviolet color schemes, filled with colors both visible and invisible to his physical eyes. Slowly, the man allowed his gaze to adjust, and as he grew used to the intense amount of colors Celestine returned his gaze to his two students.

Belldandy's progress was slow; the man watched as piece by piece, the girl's wild aura slowly shrunk to a tamer rendition. The girl's concentration needed work. Occasionally, a piece of what she drew in suddenly shot forth once more, leaving the child with impression of a little girl bathed in a blue-hot sun rather than the heated glow that was more reminiscent of Celestine's own aura. Practice and repetition would solve that problem. Yet Celestine had to admit he was rather impressed that the little brunette was able to accomplish so much on her first go. His own experience at that age was nowhere near as successful.

The lankly deity the n turned his attention to Urd, frowning as he caught sight of the youth's aura. A violet-hued white, Urd's aura was much more condensed than Belldandy's, something Celestine chalked up to her prior training in Niflheim. Yet even condensed as it was, the magic was still wilder than Belldandy's. Though difficult to see, the raven-haired deity could just make out the web-thin strands of magic that trailed outside the girl's body, sticking to anything near the youth as surely as a spider's thread and mixing with the energy around it. Strangely enough; however, the excess aura seemed to harm nothing it interacted with. Unusual. Highly unusual. Even the most peaceful of gods, when their magic was left unchecked, could do irreversible damage to the world around them with the wild strikes of that person's magic. Yet Urd's magical aura seemed to instead integrate itself with its environment rather than destroy it.

Frowning, Celestine opened his physical eyes once more, closing his Third Eye as the man wracked his brain for any deities that might share such a unique trait. Frigg was one, he recalled; having seen the results of her magical aura first hand. He'd heard Lamashtu, demon-woman though she was, also held such an ability when not cradle robbing. The Almighty was said to have it as well, though with how secretive the deity was Celestine would consider himself lucky to have ever seen such a feat from the god.

Perhaps it was from the Almighty that Urd inherited such an ability. How ironic. Considering who her mother was, Celestine would have thought Belldandy more ample to inherit such a trait rather than Urd.

Summing it up to Fate's attempt at humor, Celestine roused himself from his thoughts, quickly noting that Urd's breath had lost its rhythm and Belldandy's head was nodding off towards sleep. A quick mental calculation showed that nearly thirty minutes had passed since beginning. Inwardly Celestine winced. He'd originally only planned for around fifteen minutes with his young students. Any more was asking too much from a pair of children so young, and the tall god could already see where his workings were failing.

Straightening, Celestine clapped his hands loudly, rousing Belldandy from her near-sleep and startling Urd from her pretend-meditation. "Alright, I do believe you've done enough for one day." He said. "We'll stop for the day and try again tomorrow, okay?"

Two 'okays' met his ears, and Celestine rose to his feet with a grunt. "We still have a couple more hours of daylight ahead of us." He said. "Would you two like to play for a bit before heading back?"

Two pairs of eager eyes and smiling faces met his gaze, and before Celestine could say another word Urd had already grabbed Belldandy and was scampering off through the trees, disappearing from sight.

* * *

"Nidhogg bless it, where are you Belldandy?" Urd hissed to herself, slipping through a pair of bushes and around a bench as she sought out her prey. The youth was nowhere in sight, and with no small amount of regret Urd cursed her decision to allow Belldandy to choose what game to play.

Of course Belldandy would play Hide and Seek. It was the one game she knew Urd didn't stand a chance at, and the one game Urd knew Belldandy took a great amount of enjoyment from because of that fact. How could a bubbly little girl so full of energy like Belldandy hide so well? If anything, the girl should have been suppressing giggles from wherever she was hiding. A single giggle would have alerted Urd to her sister's hiding place, and with that Urd would have found her younger sister.

Yet the silence that surrounded her was so quiet it was near-deafening. Stepping out into a patch of sun, the bronze child winced, covering her brow with a hand to ward off the bright rays. Her head was pounding again. It had stopped for a while with food and then that weird meditation-thingy of Celestine's, but playing under the sun once more brought about the familiar throb in her mind. The youth paused, waiting for the drumbeat to lessen in her skull before setting off once more to find her sister.

If she could find Belldandy, then it would be Belldandy's turn to search for _her_, and Urd could crawl into a thick-branched tree and maybe fall asleep in the shadow of leaves for a while. Doing that might help the pounding in her head go away, as well as the slightly nauseous feeling that was churning in her gut.

Swallowing, the silver-haired youth pushed the sickly feelings away, finding them more an annoyance over anything else. "Stupid kid picking stupid hiding places in the middle of…" Grumbling to herself, the youth trudged on irritably, passing Celestine, who sat relaxing on one of the benches.

The man eyed her as the bronze child approached. "Find her yet?"

Urd scowled. "No." She growled.

The man raised a black brow. "Want a hint?"

Urd stared at him expectantly, and Celestine hurriedly motioned her forward. Frowning, the youth approached, and Celestine leaned down. His face was unusually solemn, and fearing a something far more serious in his words, Urd allowed irritation to drop.

"I'll tell you." He whispered, voice low and soft and forcing Urd to lean closer to the man to hear his words. "However, you will need to do something for me in return."

Immediately the child perked up, any residual effects of her headache forgotten at the possibility of a deal. Even if she was a goddess now, the potential to haggle for anything, be it information or something more physical, was an appealing proposition that she'd learned to love from her time in Niflheim. "What is it?"

If possible, Celestine's face grew more serious. "I need you to tell me something." He whispered, and Urd leaned in so close that their heads near touched. "I need to know…what is the answer to life?" Leaning back, the man relaxed, and the solemn look on his face dawned into a smile. "If you can give me an answer, I'll give you your hint."

Urd stared.

And stared. And stared. Then the youth straightened, silver brows furrowing together in thought. Really, it was a question without answer, as such a response varied from one person to another. It was something meant for the one questioned to conduct some inner soul-searching in the hopes of better understanding themselves and what they held of importance in their life. It was not meant to be passed on to a child god not yet even ten.

Urd realized this with all the rational of a seven year old.

Her response, predictably, was both endearing and random.

"Forty-two." The youth confessed, her face as serious as Celestine's own not a minute prior. "The answer to life is forty-two."

Celestine blinked, having expected a great deal of things from a seven-year old's mouth; kittens, puppies, candy, giant monsters destroying cities for her amusement, but certainly not a number. The man blinked. "Oh?" He said. "Is that so?"

Urd nodded her head frivolously. "Yep." She said. "Forty-two. Can I have my hint now?"

"Can you tell me why?"

Urd considered for a moment, rubbing her chin in thought before shaking her head. "Nope, nu-uh. That wasn't part of the deal, 'Stine. You wanted the answer to life, not an exclamation on the answer's meaning."

Celestine raised an eyebrow. "I think you mean 'explanation', Urd, not 'exclamation'."

Yet Urd merely crossed her arms over her chest and sent him a look. "I know what I said." The girl said confidently. "And I gave you my part. Now about that hint…"

The man ruefully shook his head, fighting to hide his smile. "You've got me there, Lady of the Pinecone," he teased, and watched as Urd's cheeks burned in a sudden blush at the title. After the initial shock of discovering who had taken up residence in Celestine's household, Macha had shown her more ruthless side with nicknames. "I can't say where exactly…however I will say she's somewhere in this vicinity." The man waved an arm in a circular motion, indicating the surrounding area.

Urd frowned. "That's…not helpful at all." She muttered."

Celestine smiled. "You get what you pay for." The smile grew larger as the bronze youth growled in frustration before stomping off and disappearing once more behind a couple of trees.

Urd gone, a soft giggle arose beneath the bench Celestine was sitting on, and from beneath it Belldandy emerged. "Urd's not very good at this game, is she?" The youth asked, staring at Celestine with cerulean-eyes.

The deity shook his head. "No Belldandy, she isn't. Even with a hint she can't seem to find you."

The brunette giggled and nodded. "I thought for sure you were gonna tell her where I was!"

"True, but I doubt she'd be able to find you still." He commented off-handedly. "So…" Celestine looked at Belldandy with an amused smile on his face. "Forty-two?" He asked, and the little brunette tilted her head to one side in curiosity.

"You mean you didn't know?" She asked, and with Urd gone and searching for the wayward sister that was at his side, Celestine burst into laughter.

* * *

The sun was blaring, she was frustrated, the pounding in her head had returned with full force, and still Belldandy could not be found. At this point, the youth had all but given up on the search for the bratling goddess, forcing herself to admit to the fact that she probably wouldn't be finding her sister in the remaining daylight hours unless Belldandy revealed herself to Urd first. The youth halted, clutching her head with a grimace as the throbbing pounded to the beat of her heart.

Really, right now the only thing she wanted was for her headache to go away. She was tired of feeling so icky. The youth grunted. "Screw it." She muttered. "I'm tired of looking for Belldandy. If she wants to play this game so bad, she can come find _me_. I'm done for the day." Rubbing her eyes, the youth departed for the trees, intent to find an easily accessible one to climb into and fall asleep within.

The youth didn't even make it to the small tree line before her vision darkened and Urd collapsed.

Yet while there were no deities present to witness the child's collapse into unconsciousness, something _did_ bear witness to the event.

A creature that had departed its normal residence to stretch its legs, it now approached the unconscious child, ambling towards the bronze youth on three wooden legs. It took its time, and where it passed small saplings bloomed in its wake, unconsciously expanding the forest-line it once wandered.

The creature stood tall, draped in so much silver hair that it completely enveloped the creature's body. An impossibly ancient face started down at the girl from a head of bark. Where its eyes should have been instead only layers of sagging 'skin' remained, falling across what may or may not have been eyelids. Examining the child, its head slowly creaked to one side before stooping to a wooden knee at an even slower rate.

A child…a cur-child, by the way the youth's aura was emanating. Obviously divine blood to be within the realms of the gods, and yet...

The creature pulled back, and expression slowly dawning on its face that might have been realization. Ah…so _this_ was the one. Somewhere in the back of its mind it recalled a fuzzy memory of the squirrel passing word of one of Nidhogg's brood coming to the heavens. Had so much time passed already?

Gently it nudged the youth with the cane that acted as its third leg. The response it gained was of a pained moan before the little girl curled into a tight ball at its feet. It frowned, its face groaning and cracking at the effort to express the emotion that came so easily to others. Was the child ill? From a distance the girl had seemed just fine until she allowed sunlight to fall upon her body.

Oh…that's right…it recalled Nidhogg mentioning in its sleep one time of the darkness that was so prevalent in its land. For a demon to go from something so dark to so light was probably unhealthy, much in the way that it was unhealthy for its brethren to be moved from the light and into constant darkness.

For a small eternity the creature stared down at the child. Slowly an idea formed within its ancient mind, and as the creature of vast age that it was, it waited patiently for the idea to take form.

Did not Inanna once hold many a deal with the demonkin? It seemed to recall some memories of the Queen of Heaven working alongside the darker creatures; however it also noted that this was the same hazy memory that recalled ice within Muspelheim and dragons walking freely upon Midgard and living in harmony with the humans that resided there.

Bah, cursed old age. The memory was always the first to go.

Regardless, Inanna was a resourceful deity. If she could not help the youth, chances were high the goddess would know someone who could.

With that in mind, the creature stooped towards the child, body groaning like a swaying tree before scooping the youth up in long, spindly, branch-like arms. Without a second thought it ventured towards the trees once more, where it promptly disappeared with its cargo in tow.

It wouldn't be until fifteen minutes after the creature's disappearance that it dawned on Celestine that something was wrong.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Ten points and a worthy mention to whoever can guess the identity of the 'creature' that took Urd. _

_And yes..zombies…I don't know where I got the idea for that or why Persephone and Hades decided to hijack my story, but apparently they wanted to let everyone know what really happened between Orpheus and the Netherworld. Expect Urd's fear of zombies to make random and violent comebacks throughout the storylines, be it Origins or Angel Biter. Anyways, sorry for the lack of updates. I've been particularly lazy with Origins, however now that this...incident has happened, things should start picking up a bit more. At least if I'm not distracted by other things first...  
_

_42: The answer to life since the childhood of deities.  
_


	17. The Queen of Heaven

"Ma'am, I have the latest reports from Ur-Zababa."

The woman looked up from where her attention lay focused on a map, turning to regard the speaker. "Go on." The goddess urged, walking around the wooden table to better hear what her younger companion had to say.

The speaker, a young, black-haired woman with dark, tan skin, hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The King is afraid, Ma'am. The dream you sent him had its intended effect; however, now it seems the man is plotting young Sargon's death."

The goddess moaned, running a hand through hair so light it could pass for white. "That idiot." She hissed. "How hard is it to understand the message 'leave Sargon alone or you will die'?" The woman growled in irritation. "I mean, come on! Sargon is his freaking _cup bearer_ for crying out loud! One that I happen to favor yes, but a cup bearer none the less!"

The woman's companion regarded her with a raised black eyebrow. "Well m'lady, you _did_ fill his dreams with images of him drowning at your hands if he so much as laid a finger on Sargon. Kind of easy for the poor mortal to get the wrong impression with the image of his death at the hands of his own goddess haunting his sleep."

The light-haired goddess scowled, crossing dark, tan arms over her chest. "I never asked you, Ninshubur."

Ninshubur smiled, white teeth bright against her dark skin. "No, but you'll listen to me anyways, Lady Inanna. Ur-Zababa is currently sending Sargon off to Lugal-Zage-Si of Uruk. He bears with him a tablet requesting that the Uruk king slay Sargon."

Inanna pinched the bridge of her nose. "And of course my dear, primitive, trusting little cup bearer can't read, him not being a scribe…."

"And so I recommend you warn Sargon against whatever would-be assassin comes after him."

Inanna sighed. "Divine intervention." She muttered. "I _hate_ divine intervention. There's so much paperwork that needs to be filled out and then you have the mortals who half the time don't understand what you're trying to say…" The goddess threw her hands into the air. "At this rate, I might as well make Sargon the new king of Assyria and have him go out conquering other lands!" She complained. "At least then the whole 'divine intervention' crap would be worth the amount of shit I'd need to go through."

Ninshubur smiled in amusement. "I don't know…" She drawled. "Kind of sounds like fun, if you ask me. Besides, I know how much you love a good war. You get so much more worship from the kids down below; everyone praising your name, giving you sacrifices, spreading death and inspiring all those adorable young soldiers to visit your priestesses for-"

Inanna silenced her with a deathly glare.

The room fell into an awkward silence, one that caused Ninshubur to dance anxiously. Then Inanna smirked. "You know what? Fine. Let's do it." The woman turned and walked out of the study, leaving a gaping Ninshubur behind her. "It's been a while since we had any wars of such epic proportions! Let's let my little cup bearer conquer all of Sumeria and Assyria. It'll be fun!" She snapped, heading into the common room.

Ninshubur watched the white-haired woman's retreating form nervously. "I was joking!" She cried, racing after the goddess. "By the Heavens Inanna, you don't need to take everything I say to heart. It was only-"

Abruptly the woman fell silent, stiffening as a foreign presence washed over her. The dark woman narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Lady Inanna, did you…?"

In front of her Inanna nodded, one hand brushing the fabric of her dress down her leg. Gently outlined beneath the material was an ornate dagger "I feel it." She said solemnly. "I feel it. There's a demon in my Huluppu Tree." Blue eyes, so bright they seemed to glow, narrowed in irritation. "If I find one of my sister's 'pets' in my tree I'll…" The tan woman refused to finish the thought, instead growling as Inanna marched off towards the origin of the presence.

Together the two women moved outside, where the presence of 'demon' grew stronger and more identifiable. Inanna's frown deepened as something familiar joined the presence before vanishing. "An avatar?" She muttered. "What is the avatar of my Huluppu tree doing? I know that creature is aware of the dangers of demons. It should know better than to approach such a creature." Feeling an uncomfortable lump settle in her chest, Inanna increased her pace, causing Ninshubur to break into a light trot.

"Do you think the Anzu or the Lilith has returned?" Ninshubur asked worriedly. "Old Gilgamesh has long since passed on to Irkalla. Without him around is it possible one of the two have decided to return to the tree?"

Inanna grit her teeth. "Oh, it's possible. But if they think that his passing makes my tree free game, they've got another thing coming. I was a foolish girl when last they inhabited my tree; however, the woman who meets them now is one who has tasted death itself. Piss on Gilgamesh. I'll drive them out myself."

Inanna's 'Huluppu Tree' was one of the largest trees within the heavens. An ancient Ash, it had been planted on a leyline, making it one of the largest power sources in Beri'ah. As such its trunk had been converted into an administrative hub, the various gods and goddesses taking advantage of its magical attributes in order to monitor the lower planes and the lesser deities that inhabited them.

Due to its age and magical properties, it had also become a popular habitation. Various gods holding a minimum of a first-class, basic license had transformed the upper branches into a residents, the oldest of which being Inanna herself. Having nurtured the Huluppu Tree since it was a sapling, the goddess had grown fond of the tree, becoming a pseudo-guardian for it and ensuring it remained healthy.

Once upon a time demons had not been as uncommon in the heavens as they were in the present. Back then the occasional demon would grow wise and realize such a power conduit made an excellent nesting ground. Oftentimes an infestation would soon follow and Inanna was forced to seek aid in sending the demons back to Niflheim.

Yet heroes were not as common as they once were. Hoping such wasn't the case today, Inanna paused on one of the enormous branches of the tree; large enough for five men to walk side by side and still avoid the edge. Long ago one of the more architectural gods had installed a floating rail set to block the edges and prevent any mishaps, and now Inanna looked over its railing. "Feels like it's coming from below." She said.

"Towards the lower trunk?" Ninshubur responded hastily. "But that's where the tree's SCIF is located! We need to alert the Valkyries responsible for that area before it takes them by surprise."

Yet Inanna shook her head. "No…no, that won't be necessary I think." She said. "The presence indicates only one demon; a weak one at that. I seriously doubt it's a threat to any inter-dimensional secrets." The goddess made a face. "I don't even think it's a threat to some of our lower ranking deities. It feels kind of…puny." The white haired woman shrugged. "Either that, or it's this huge overwhelming presence made puny due to the distance separating us from it."

Ninshubur sent her a flat look. "In which case it's a threat."

Inanna bit her lip. "I'm going to check it out." She said after a moment's thought. "Big or small, there aren't many demons that can go up against the Queen of Heaven. I want to know what it is and why it's here." _And why my tree's avatar was with it. _The woman looked over her shoulder, tossing a short braid of white out of the way. "You coming? I may need your assistance if things turn sour."

Ninshubur scowled. "Lady Inanna, if this is anything like that time you decided to visit your mourning, hormonally-imbalanced sister-"

"She was pregnant!"

"And mourning the death of her husband! Which _you _caused!"

"Come on, Ninshubur, she let me go unharmed!"

"Lady Ereshkigal left your dead body suspended from a hook for three days!" Ninshubur snapped. "I was forced to appeal to your family for help, many of which wanted nothing to do with you! If not for Master Enki, you'd still be dead in the Irkalla."

"Yep." Inanna agreed, making her way to an elevator that had been placed at the end of the branch they were on. "I instructed you on what to do if something happened to me and you followed my orders perfectly." She smiled back at the darker woman. "You've always been there to watch my back. Don't tell me this is going to be the one time you leave me hanging, Ninshubur."

The woman frowned. "That's a bad joke, Lady Inanna."

"What joke?"

Ninshubur shook her head. "Forget it." She grumbled, following the older goddess onto the elevator. "Just don't let yourself get killed this time, okay?" She asked. "I don't know how many times a couple of sympathetic, dirty nail pixies will work on the Queen of Irkalla."

Inanna laughed, wrapping an arm around Ninshubur's bare shoulders. "Only if you don't let me die." She replied with a smirk.

* * *

Urd awoke with a headache.

One that pounded with the beat of her heart and caused her whole body to throb in agony. With a moan the child curled into a tight ball, hand groping for the blankets that would let her block out the light and bury her in blissful darkness. Yet Urd was unsuccessful in finding the warm covers, forcing a whine from the youth. Miserably the girl flung an arm across her eyes, providing a momentary relief as the miserable godling slowly grew more cognoscente.

The ground was cold and hard; Urd's first clue that she was not in the bed she so wished to be in. That alone caused an alarm bell to ring within her mind, and violet eyes snapped open. Eyes still shielded against the light of the sun with one arm, the youth felt around with her free hand. Something soft, cold, and spongy replaced the sheets the silver-haired child so hoped for. The air smelled heavily of evergreens; a sharp, strong scent that made the child nauseous. With the scent came the more standardized sounds of birds singing in tree tops, and the girl grimaced.

"…Does this mean I'm still playing with Belldandy?" Urd grumbled irritably. "But I don't want to play anymore! I just want to go home." She moaned.

Allowing her arm to fall off her face the silver-haired youth rolled onto her stomach, slowly pushing herself up to her hands and knees. Black stars blossomed across her vision nauseatingly and Urd was struck with a wave of dizziness. The child froze, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths through clenched teeth, fighting the lightheadedness and nausea back with all her might. _I've got this. This isn't so bad. I've been through worse. It's not near as bad as Nidhogg's venom. _She could almost hear the serpent's voice in the back of her mind, watching her as the child had once squirmed against Yggdrasil's trunk.

"_Let it pass, Little One."_ The serpent had advised. _"Let it pass…"_

Taking the past advice to heart, Urd sucked in one breath after another, waiting as slowly the symptoms began to abate until only the pounding in her skull remained. Biting her lip Urd opened her eyes once more, staring down at the grass and dead leaves beneath her hands. "I'm really, really starting to dislike forests." She muttered. _This stuff never happened back home. Why is it happening to me here?_

Raising her head Urd looked around. The girl found herself at the base of what had to be one of the largest trees she'd ever come across. It was almost as large as Yggdrassil's trunk in Nidhogg's realm. The only difference was the absent mist that made the tree's trunk look like it stretched on for eternity. This one almost had the same illusion; however if Urd squinted she could just make out the ends of the tree in one direction.

As she'd half-expected the girl was in a forest; however, it was a foreign one, different from the little park Celestine had taken her to. The trees loomed tall and proud above her head, making the ones from the park look like young saplings in comparison. Glowing, pastel-colored platforms emerged from some of the trees' trunks and further up towards the branches Urd could make out large, spherical habitats. The constructs reminded her of where Celestine had led her upon first arriving in the heavens. Yet that had only been one tree; the area surrounding it had been more commercial and showing signs of residents. This place seemed more…wild.

Leaning back onto her knees the youth frowned. "Did I sleepwalk?" She wondered aloud, running a dark hand through silver locks. The answer seemed a fairly obvious 'no', which did little to put her mind at ease. _So how did I get here?_ Standing caused her head to spin and for a moment Urd feared she might feint. Clutching her head the girl grit her teeth, waiting for the world to settle once more.

A frustrated growl wormed its way out of the bronze child's throat. "I want to go home!" She cried desperately. "Belldandy? 'Stine? Where are you guys?" The youth called, knowing already her cries were for naught; wherever Urd was, she could almost guarantee the others weren't around. They wouldn't have left her alone and unconscious in a strange forest.

Clutching her head with a soft whine Urd began to roam, uncertain of where she was going and uncaring as well. She only wanted to go home. "Bet if Marller was here I'd find my way back." She muttered softly. "Marller could find her way out of a labyrinth if she wanted." Grumbling to herself, the youth wandered around the trunk of the tree, using its ever-expanding base as a crutch to lean against. The platforms in the tree's branches suggested cohabitation with the tree itself and if Urd followed the trunk for long enough eventually she'd come across an entrance to the tree. From there brought the probability of other gods and goddesses, one of which might be able to help her get back to Celestine.

The youth kept her head bowed, carefully watching her feet as she hid her face from the sun. It was going to be a miserable walk to the tree's entrance with the way her head was pounding. She didn't like the way her body felt so weak either. It was making the girl worry. What in Nidhogg's fangs was wrong with her?

A dirty gown entered her sights. Too bemused to realize what it was Urd was staring at, the youth came to a halt, staring at it for several long moments in confusion. Slowly her muddled mind began to recognize what she was staring at and Urd followed the dress up. Silver hair, as white as the linings of clouds, covered the garment like a shawl. Its owner leaned heavily on an old, gnarled wooden staff, the wood the same color and texture as the hand old, weathered hand that held it. The arm it was connected to disappeared under a mass of dirty cloth and cascading hair, and as Urd followed it up she came across a face so wrinkled with age it barely looked human. The flesh hung in brown folds and wrinkles down its face, leaving Urd with only a guess as to where the entity's eyes were. Liver spots looked more like the knots of an old tree with how they almost seemed to protrude, and twigs and leaves hung from its head in a bird's nest of a crown.

Somehow it must have seen Urd's gaze, despite the child incapable of spotting any eyes herself. The entity smiled at her, revealing toothless black gums. Urd stared at the stranger, stupefied to the point where she momentarily forgot her own ailment. The elder stared back, making no attempts to scold the youth for staring so heavily at her-him…it? The person was so ancient and the garments so loose that it was impossible for Urd to even guess at the elder's gender.

"Ah…hello." Urd said hesitantly, eyeing the entity wearily. Was it a god? The youth couldn't make out any distinguishing sigils to mark it for any ranked deity.

The elder made a slow motion that might have been taking for a nod. Urd frowned, clutching her head with a wince. "Umm…could you…tell me where I am?"

The elder inclined his or her head yet did not speak a word, instead turning away from Urd and wandering beneath the arch of an abnormally large root. The silver haired girl followed with a frown, trailing after the ancient being like a diminutive shadow. The root was almost as large as the one within Nidhogg's realm; larger than three med resting atop their shoulders and seeming to stretch on for miles before disappearing into the earth. The root was green with moss, and as the youth walked beneath its arch she could see where the moss hung like hair. Little white flowers looked almost as though they were braided through the long, green strands, giving off a scent that strangely enough reminded her of Belldandy.

On the other side of the root the elder had come to a halt, sitting down to rest on an old cobblestone next to an equally old well. Sitting made the stranger seem even more ancient than when they stood, resting most of his or her weight on the wooden staff as the ancient looked at Urd.

At least Urd was pretty sure the elder was looking at her. Either that or they'd fallen asleep.

The youth ran a hand through her hair with a grimace. Damn it all, her head hurt too much for her to care. With a sight the girl approached the elder only for the stranger to lift an arm with a groan. It sounded more like a bending tree trunk than anything human would have made, yet Urd was feeling too icky to bother questioning it.

The being stiffly gestured to the well it rested beside. Curiosity getting the better of her, Urd approached it, peering over the side and into a black tunnel that exploded into a white star. Silver brows furrowed together in confusion and the youth stared harder, trying to readjust her gaze to focus on what it was she was looking at. What sort of well held a white bottom?

Something long and black suddenly slithered across the bottom. Urd's breath caught in her throat and the youth fell back with a start. "Nidhogg?" She squeaked, staring at the well with large violet eyes before turning her gaze to the elder. "Was that Nidhogg?"

The stranger merely smiled its toothless smile again, and rather than try and decipher what it meant Urd leaped to her feet once more, peering into the hole with a mixture of fear and excitement. The serpent was gone again, yet for once in her life Urd decided to wait to see if it would come back. After a long while of white, the youth's patience was rewarded with the large snake once more slithering across the well bottom , looking more like a worm rather than the monstrous beast it truly was.

Urd stared at the creature in amazement. "So then the white must be Nidhogg's mist." She reasoned. "It's almost like I'm looking through a telescope or something, peering into Nidhogg's realm from really far away." But if this well was showing Nidhogg's realm…The youth slowly looked up towards the elder, her pain momentarily forgotten. "Yggdrasil." She said. "This…this tree is Yggdrasil, isn't it?"

The elder smiled.

And with it, so too did Urd. "I-I'm at Yggdrasil." She stammered. The youth could hear her heart echo within her head, throbbing in tune to her headache. "But when did I…" The girl pressed a hand to her skull, feeling giddy, nauseous, and confused all at once. "I…I…" Urd grimaced as the nausea won over the giddiness. "…I need to sit down." She finished quietly, leaning heavily against the cobblestone well before finally sliding to the earth. The lass closed her eyes and inhaled, trying once more to rid herself of whatever sickness had overtaken her.

The elder approached silently, and Urd felt something rough rest against her shoulder. With a frown Urd opened one violet eye. Peeking to her shoulder, she found a wrinkled old hand resting there, causing the girl to stare at it in confusion. After several long moments of silence, Urd finally followed it up, meeting the elder's wrinkled face with furrowed brows. "Who are you?" She finally asked.

Yet the old being said nothing. Merely smiled down at Urd before offering the girl a rope with the elder's free hand. The child stared at the cord in confusion before taking it. It was connected to a bucket hanging from the wooden pillar on top of the well. Urd hadn't noticed it upon first approaching the well. Now she stared at it all in uncertainty, wondering what to do.

The elder straightened, seeming to tower over the child like the tree the well rested beside. With a gnarled hand, the stranger unlatched the coil or rope entwined around the arching pillar, sending the bucket that dangled from the end of the rope plummeting into the cobblestone maw. The rope and container seemed to fall for a small eternity before finally hitting something within the well. What visible rope remained slackened and swayed aimlessly in one direction after the next.

The elder sent a look back at Urd once more, motioning for the girl to pull on the rope. Perplexed, the silver-haired youth did as instructed. Her efforts were weak, however. Suffering an unknown illness and haunted by the persistent migraine throbbing within her skull, the girl had been robbed of whatever strength she had. The elder frowned before assisting the child, lending its own strength to the godling and yanking the rope back as well. Where once the cord had been pulled taunt by a child, now the twine began to move to the duo's whims, slowly pulling the bucket up once more.

Yet even with the combined efforts of the bent elder and sickly child, their progress was slow. Minutes passed by in hours, and it was a long eternity before the bucket finally arose from the well mouth once more. Wrapping a chunk of rope around an arm, the elder looked back at Urd, nodding to the dangling wooden pale.

Releasing her end of the rope, Urd approached the well once more, carefully leaning over and grabbing the edge of the bucket. Her fingers hit icy water that spilled off the tilted side, causing the youth to grimace. While her memories of her time with Nidhogg were vague, Urd was pretty sure the water had been much warmer than whatever the well had brought up. Regardless, the girl dragged the dangling container to the cobblestone ledge, letting it rest there as she looked back at the elder.

The ancient being released the rope before slowly approaching the youth. Moving away from the bucket, Urd watched as the elder dipped both hands into the pale, only to emerge cupped and filled with water. The being drank the water, and to Urd it almost appeared as though new life sprang throughout the stranger's body. The hardened, dark skin seemed to lighten before her very eyes, and the wrinkles and hanging flesh that plagued its body seemed to soften and fade somewhat.

The elder dipped its hands back into the water several times, repeating the motions and seeming to take centuries off its body with each sip. When the being had taken its fill of the water, what was once an ancient being had instead changed into a grandfatherly-like figure, wrinkled yet identifiable. Where one the flesh sagged upon its eye's, now it stared at Urd with burrowing, black pits like two holes in a tree. The skin was textured like bark, smoothed and golden-brown with age and wear. The hair was still immensely long, yet now seemed to resemble the long strands of moss that hung from the root of the large tree the duo resided next to. It gestured to Urd with long, thin, twig-like fingers, clearly offering the child what remained of the water.

After a moment's hesitation, wary of the being's strange transformation, Urd did as beckoned, imitating the elder's movements and dipping her hands into the pale. The water that remained chilled her to the bone, the water within as clear and shining as liquid crystals. The youth sipped at the water, gasping at the chilled taste. Having lived in a realm where water was rare, Urd had never tasted spring water before. What she had tasted was bland and tasteless; the result of countless processing and filtering from the water demons and occasional Jotun who cared for the water treatment facilities in Niflheim. Even the water in the heavens had tasted different from this. While more abundant, the water still lacked the sharp, clear taste of the well water.

"Did Nidhogg's water always taste like this?" The youth asked aloud, momentarily forgetting herself as she drunk her fill.

The elder smiled and shrugged. _It has always tasted as such to me._ A quiet voice whispered in her mind. _As one who's visited the Serpent, I'm sure you could tell such thing far better than I, Child._

Urd jumped, wheeling to face the elder with wide violet eyes. Startled, the youth accidently bumped into the bucket and before anyone could think to act the pale was falling once more into the well. "You speak!?" Urd cried in alarm.

The elder smiled, revealing wooden teeth. _Yes. _It said. _I apologize, Young One. It's been long since I've had a fair share of water. _The entity looked up towards the heavens. The sky was blocked by tree branches. _Since the gods began controlling the weather, my trunk has run low on water. Now the only time it rains is when the gods so wish. _The entity shook its head in disdain.

Urd stared. "Trunk?" She asked. "Why can I hear you in my head, Grandfather? You speak like Nidhogg's avatar…" The youth trailed off, staring at the being in silence. "You…you're Yggdrasil, aren't you?" She asked in awe.

_No._

Urd deflated. "Oh."

_I'm Yggdrasil's avatar._

Urd stared. Had she been the same child of five months prior, dwelling within the demonic realm of Niflheim, the youth would have exploded or perhaps assaulted the avatar. Yet that was before Nidhogg. That was before Urd had been assigned a task by the main regulator of demonic power within Niflheim. Urd had grown since then, and so the lass said only one thing in response to the tree's avatar.

"Oh."

Besides, Urd felt a little better after drinking some of that water. She didn't want it to come back after throwing some stupid temper-tantrum.

The youth tilted her head to one side in curiosity. "I've been trying to find you for a while now, did you know that?"

The avatar inclined its head. _Nidhogg informed me that it had sent one of its own my way._ The entity revealed. _Yet our perception of time is poor, Child. 'A little while' for creatures such as ourselves could mean anywhere from a day to a century. _

Urd frowned. "So it took you that long to find me then?" She asked, trying to make sense of the conversation.

The avatar shook its head. _No._ It said._ I had no knowledge that you'd even arrived until I'd found you through sheer coincidence._ It grinned at her, revealing its wooden teeth. They were as brown as the avatars skin, but at least the resembled a human's jaw rather than the pointed teeth in Nidhogg's mouth. _I'd actually forgotten you were coming until I stumbled upon your sleeping form._

The girl's frown deepened. "So you were the one who brought me here then." The child accused, finding the tree-avatar inclining its head in agreement. "How far am I from where you found me?"

_A good couple trunks-widths, if I'm to guess._ The avatar responded, pointing a gnarled finger to Yggdrasil's true form.

Urd swallowed. Yggdrasil's trunk was huge. It with how it seemed to stretch on for miles, Urd could already guess she'd come a long way from the park Belldandy and Celestine were at. _'Stine's gonna be pissed._ Bah, screw 'Stine. She'd finally found Yggdrasil. That was more important than some god's wrath. The youth nodded to herself in thought. "Okay…" She mumbled. "So you brought me here to give you water, just as Nidhogg instructed me, right?"

The avatar shook its head. _I brought you here because you were ill. Lady Inanna resides around here and I believed she might be of help._

"Who?" Urd inquired. "And I'm not sick! Why do I need to see this 'Nanna' person?"

_Nanna is the moon god-or Baldr's spouse, depending on who you are speaking of._ Yggdrasil replied. _And if you are not sick, then why did I see you fall when your body was touched by sunlight? _The elder shook its head. _What if it were to happen again? I cannot rely on someone who might perish in the presence of sun deities. _The avatar stared at the youth with its nerve-wracking black-pit eyes. _And if I cannot rely on you, Nidhogg will need to send someone else._

The words struck a chord in Urd, causing the youth to stiffen. For a long time neither child nor tree spoke. Finally Urd broke her gaze away from the avatar, looking down at the ground. The youth bit her lip. _I didn't come here because I wanted to._ She thought. _I came here because Nidhogg directed it. It was payment for what I learned in the Mist. I can't go back without repaying my end of the deal…_Urd closed her eyes with a sigh, running a hand through her hair uneasily. "Fine." She muttered. "I'll meet this _I_nanna person if it makes you happy. But only 'cause I don't think Nidhogg will send anyone else up here. There aren't a lot of Curs in Niflheim with holy blood in 'em, after all."

Yggdrasil smiled, nodding its head in approval. _Good._

Urd opened her eyes, staring back up at the tree person once more. "So where is this Inanna persona, anyways?" She demanded with a huff. "I kind of need to know if I'm gonna see him, right?"

_Do not fret, Young One._ Yggdrasil replied. _'She' will be on her way here shortly._ It almost sounded as though there was laughter in the elder's voice. _I am certain that if you wait here, the Queen of Heaven will be with you shortly._

"Queen of Heaven?"

Yggdrasil nodded but offered no explanation beyond that. _You will be in good hands soon._ It stated. _So it is time for me to depart. I have my own duties to attend to that do not involve overseeing my own water bearer. _The avatar bowed slowly to the youth, and despite herself Urd found herself returning it, stooping habitually into the demon's kneel rather than the god's bow Celestine had been trying to install in her over the past week.

When Urd looked up from where her head was bowed, the avatar was gone.

The youth looked around in confusion, wondering where the elderly avatar could have wandered away to so quickly. Yet the girl could see little if any signs of the avatar's passing, and so with a grimace Urd moved to stand once more. "Water bearer, huh?" She muttered aloud. "Doesn't sound as important as Nidhogg made it out to be. I sound like a freaken' cupbearer, for crying out loud!" The youth ran a hand through her hair with a huff, feeling a mixture of confusion, irritation, and awe from her experience with the avatar.

At least her head had stopped pounding for the moment. The water seemed to have done her some good, even if it was cold enough to make her teeth hurt. "Guess I should find this Inanna lady than." The girl mumbled to herself. A quick look around revealed no obvious trails aside from the one that led her to the well, and so with a sigh Urd began to follow it back. It was possible that she might have missed something on her way towards the well in her weakened state, so maybe backtracking would lead her towards some gods or a previously unseen trail.

Rubbing an arm uncomfortably, the silver-haired girl headed back the way she came, passing under the ever-towering root and pausing as the sound of voices met her ears. Blinking violet eyes, the youth looked around. Yet for all she could hear the voices far off, Urd could make out nothing of their owners. Bright brows furrowed together in confusion as Urd frowned. "Who's…" The godling trailed off, trying to distinguish the direction of the voices and failing miserably. It sounded as if the voices were coming from all around her.

Urd suppressed a shudder. Disembodied voices reminded her too much of Nidhogg's realm. Too much of the strangers she'd met in the mist; familiar ones who watched her with alien eyes and unfamiliar ones who spoke her name. _Those_ ones she'd hoped to escape at least in part by coming to the Heavens.

"Well, it seems we've found out demon, Ninshubur!" A voice cried out around her.

_Demon?_ A shadow fell across the bronze child's form and with a start Urd turned and looked up

The sun was blinding.

Immediately the child looked away, eyes squeezing shut as Urd sought to rid herself of the brilliant light that temporarily blinded her. Yet behind closed eyelids came the illuminated afterimage of a form; a person, and with it came an unexpected knot of unease. _I'm not supposed to be seen as a demon anymore._

Another voice, deeper than its companion's, rang out. "Seems a little small for what we sensed so far up, wouldn't you say, M'lady?"

Wild laughter graced Urd's ears and the child rubbed her eyes, hoping to rid herself of the fading spots in her vision. "Demons come in all shapes and sizes, my friend." Urd thought she saw something land before the large root, but she couldn't make out what it was. "Let's see what type of demon _this_ one is."

There was an underlying threat to the tone that sent the silver-haired youth on edge. Through spot-riddled vision Urd watched as someone approached her, causing the girl to step back warily. "One that's gonna get you if you come any closer." Small sparks of magic danced across Urd's hand in warning. "I'm not afraid of any god, let alone you."

The person paused in her step, and Urd could dimly make out a white head of hair tilting itself to an angle. "Is that so?" She asked. "Then by all means, let's see what you've got, little demon-child."

"Lady Inanna…" Someone sighed. "She's only a child."

_Inanna? Is this the person I was supposed to find?_

"Child or not, she's brave enough to challenge the Queen of Heaven." Urd could hear the smile in the woman's voice. "And anyone brave enough to go against the Queen of Heaven deserves their chance."

_I don't get it. My sigils are blue, not red anymore. Why does she see me as a demon? _The spots were slowly clearing from Urd's eyes, and the youth could make out a shock of pinned white hair and tan skin._ She almost looks like Mo-_

"WHORE!" Urd screamed with such ferocity it scared her. Immediately the youth clamped her hands over her mouth, violet eyes wide with shock and horror. Cheeks burning, the girl stumbled away from the woman, so horrified by her sudden outburst that Urd forgot her initial challenge to the goddess.

Eyes clearing, the child could make out the surprised blue eyes of the woman. "I'm sorry!" Urd blurted. "I don't even know why I…why I…"_ What possessed me?_

Before her the woman, Inanna judging from her voice, began to laugh. "Ah! I see you're a stranger to me then!" The goddess proclaimed, further baffling the girl before her.

"W-what?" Urd gaped in bafflement. Even her own mother would have reacted violently to such an insult, and yet here was this goddess standing there and _laughing_ like it was no big deal!

Another woman, one with deep black skin and short curly hair approached. She sent Urd a doubtful stare, looking the child up and down before biting her lip. "Lady Inanna…this child is no demon." The dark woman narrowed brown eyes at the youth before coming to kneel before Urd. Urd took a startled step back. "I..." The woman blinked, dark eyes widening. "Oh…so that is why…"

Inanna peaked over her companion's shoulder, staring down at Urd in curiosity. Urd, for her part, didn't dare move. These people were _weird, _even for her. "What's why?" Urd demanded urgently, feeling her heart flutter nervously in her chest.

"You're the Almighty's daughter, aren't you?"

* * *

"So you're cursed?" Urd took a sip of her tea, mindful of the heat emanating from the cup. The girl scrunched her nose up in displeasure at the taste. Regardless of the heat, the tea tasted too bitter for her. For a moment she almost considered reaching for the honey Inanna seemed to have in such bountiful amounts, but then recalled that it was bee vomit and quickly took another sip from her cup.

Across the table from her, the woman in question added another spoonful of honey to her cup. "Yes." Inanna said, waving her hand idly. "Really, it's nothing big, just a minor thing a relative of mine placed on my head in my younger days. Said it was to keep me humble."

Silver brows furrowed together in confusion. "By having everyone you meet scream 'whore' in your face?" Urd inquired, confusion growing as the goddess in question snickered.

Next to her Ninshubur leaned back with a sigh. "Lady Inanna is rather…fickle when it comes to her lovers." She explained.

Inanna nodded in agreement. "I was not the kindest of women to the men who caught my interest in my younger years, either." The woman smirked. "I won't go into any details but…let's just say a certain someone grew tired of my antics and sought a way to end my frivolous antics."

Urd stared at the white-haired woman blankly. "I don't think I get it."

Innana merely laughed.

"The curse was to serve as a warning to those Lady Inanna met." Ninshubur explained. "That they may know her and not be lured into any so-called 'traps' that she might set up. Unfortunately…"

Inanna giggled. "My dear Cousin's curse backfired. For those who knew of me within the cities on the Assiah or here in the heavens, oh it worked like a charm. However for those who knew nothing of me or my past, to suddenly scream the word 'whore' in my face had them all scrambling to make amends to me. The gods were abashed that they had insulted a fellow deity in such a manner. The little mortals down below ashamed that they had called a woman who was a stranger to them by such a title. All in all, I've found it quite an amusing curse over the years."

"Amusing?"

The tan goddess cackled and even the solemn Ninshubur cracked a smile. "Oh, the faces people make, the reactions…it doesn't matter if it's a beggar or a king, demon or god. Their reactions are priceless." The woman smiled widely. "On top of that, you find that your memory is the first to go as you grow older, Urd. I've found the curse useful in identifying people I've met versus new faces, such as yours. At least this way I can fake knowing who is who until my forgetful mind can recall who I am speaking to."

Urd stared into her tea cup with a grimace. "I don't know…even my own mother would get angry at someone calling her a whore."

"Your mother?"

Urd nodded eagerly. "Yeah. She likes to laugh off a lot of things that people do to her or call her, but something like that…" The youth shook her head. "Mom would flip."

"That's right; your mother is a demon, isn't she?" Ninshubur asked. "That's why I think we might have mistaken you for a demon at first; the aura you emanate is still more demonic than it is divine."

Inanna frowned, sending Urd a curious gaze. "Have you been adapting well?" She asked.

Urd hesitated for a moment before recalling her conversation with Yggdrasil. Slowly the youth shook her head. "I…don't really know." She said. "The light here is really bright. It makes my head hurt and my eyes burn sometimes. Other times I feel real sick and weak, like I've got a fever or something."

"It is no easy feat for one so young to shift from the darkness and to the light." The woman drummed her fingers atop the wooden table. "I have worked with demons in the past. Several times I've found that demons are more adept at certain tasks than their holy counterparts, yet I've also learned that one must be watchful of the demonkin when they are employed." The goddess smiled widely, catching Urd's startled glance. "For all their capabilities, they are not as…predisposed to the light Shammash brings as are their divine counterparts.

The Queen of Heaven leaned over the table, catching Urd's violet eyes with her own bright blue. "Tell me Urd, are you still suffering from these ailments?"

Urd bit her lip before nodding, and Inanna rose from her table with a smile. "Then I believe I know what needs to be done. Finish your tea and wait here with Ninshubur, Child."

With that the goddess was up and off, leaving Urd alone with Ninshubur. The girl looked up at the older goddess. "Did Inanna really work with other demons?"

Ninshubur raised a black brow. "You doubt her word?"

Immediately Urd shook her head. "No, no it's not that. It's just…" The girl looked into her cup, swirling the liquid within lightly. "I've never heard of a deity employing a demon's help before." She said. "And where I used to live in back in Niflheim…I heard all sorts of stuff that was going on back there.

Ninshubur shrugged. "It's probably due to your living in Niflheim that you're unaware of it." She said. "The gods don't employ demons that reside within Niflheim. They're much to proud and dangerous for deities to work with. Only under the most dire of circumstances will either side come to work together or for one another."

"But then-"

"There are demons that choose to reside in other worlds, Lass." Ninshubur explained. "Surely you've heard of the Annunaki. Perhaps of the demon Apep?"

Urd scowled. "Yeah, those are Underworld demons." She said. "They work to keep the dead in line, and as a result they don't interact with Niflheimian demons."

Ninshubur nodded. "Lady Inanna is a woman not unfamiliar with the Underworlds. She has kin there who run one of the realms, and they often employ demons to bring back any angry spirits that return to the Assiah. Thanks to a past incident, Lady Inanna came to work rather closely with several of these demons on a specific mission." The goddess downed the last of her tea and motioned for Urd to do the same. "It was because of that mission that Lady Inanna came to learn so much about them and their kin, for in order to complete her mission those demons needed to be whole."

"Found it!" Inanna's voice rang out from another room and a moment later the goddess peeked her head around a corner. "Urd, do you still have that headache?"

The girl rubbed her forehead. "A little."

"Good. Here, catch." Wheeling around the corner, the goddess tossed a small vial towards the youth. Urd caught it easily before proceeding to examine it. "A potion?" The vial was small, little more than a mouthful if Urd had to guess, the contents a bright lime-green.

"Yes." Inanna replied. "Only drink about half the contents; that potion was made more for a full-grown demon over someone half their size."

Nodding, Urd stared at the potion warily as she popped the cork off. The youth took a small sip and gagged at the taste, near-dropping the potion in favor of searching for something to help rid herself of the taste. The tea was gone, unfortunately, and without thinking Urd grabbed the honey, shoving a spoonful of the viscous material into her mouth. The youth twitched. "I think I'm gonna be sick." She muttered around the spoon.

Inanna laughed. "Nonsense. My potions have never had an adverse reaction in their consumers."

"That's because you've never sampled your own wears, Lady Inanna." Ninshubur retorted before looking at Urd. The dark woman wrapped her hand around the spoon handle and gently pulled it out of Urd's mouth. "You don't need to worry too much, Hon. For all her potions taste dreadfully, they all work with little to no side-affects. By the time the taste is gone, you'll feel ripe as rain once more."

A silver brow twitched as Urd allowed the contents of the honey to slide down her throat. The youth paled. She'd just eaten _bee vomit_! "And how long does that normally last?"

Ninshubur shrugged. "Depends on what you use to wash it down with, I suppose." The goddess twirled the spoon in her fingers idly. "Though honey isn't a bad choice."

"Bee vomit…" Urd muttered, running a hand through her hair. "I think I…Can I go lay down somewhere? I-I need to…" The youth trailed off, causing Inanna and Ninshubur to look at one another.

Ninshubur finally sighed. "If you wish," she said, standing and offering a hand to Urd. "You can rest in my bed until you feel better."

Barely registering the offered hand, Urd took it and allowed the older goddess to guide her from the table. "And I still gotta find 'Stine too." She muttered, clutching Ninshubur's hand weakly.

The dark woman lead the youth into another room, gently picking Urd up despite her protests and depositing her on the bed. "Is this 'Stine' your guardian?"

Urd nodded, looking a little green. "He's my sister's mentor. Cel'stine or something."

"We'll see if we can't get in contact with him." Ninshubur rose from the bed. "Feel free to join us whenever you feel up to it, Lass." She said softly. "Lady Inanna may have terrible tasting potions, but she does it out of the goodness of her heart. This place is open to you for as long as you want it to be."

Urd nodded weakly, choosing to stare at the ceiling as the youth tried desperately to think of anything other than the nausea that had arisen upon her realizing what she'd just consumed.

"Thanks."

* * *

Inanna examined the honey carefully, trying to figure out what had caused such a negative reaction in the child. "Honey usually works fine with the potions. It's sweet enough to take away the bite of the potion's taste, plus it has extra antioxidants to boost the effects. Why did she react so violently to it?"

"I think she just might not like honey." Ninshubur's voice rose up behind her, and Inanna deposited the honey on the table once more. She turned to look at her comrade, motioning the goddess to continue. "I heard her mention something about 'bee vomit' when she started to turn green."

Inanna stared at the goddess in surprise. "I suppose that would do it." She said idly, looking back at the honey once more before directing her full attention to Ninshubur. "I'd probably turn a little green too if I thought I was eating insect vomit."

Shrugging the goddess took a seat in Urd's previous chair, motioning for Ninshubur to have a seat as well. "So _she_ is That Man's daughter." Inanna murmured. "I must say, she looks nothing like her father."

Ninshubur picked up the spoon once more, renewing her toying with the utensil. "She holds a great resemblance to you, Lady Inanna. When I first laid eyes on her I mistook her for your daughter."

Inanna frowned. "Don't be silly, Ninshubur." She mumbled. "You know the only children I've ever born were male. I've never had a blood daughter before." The goddess pursed her lips. "No…we both know who it is she resembles."

Ninshubur nodded, a slight frown tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Yet still, Lady Inanna…if the girl really does take after her mother as much as the rumors say…even you must admit the resemblance is eerie."

Inanna ran a hand through her hair, yanking a silver strand and bringing it before her face. "I do." She admitted. "It is more than eerie to hear comparisons between the Daimakaicho Hild and the Queen of Heaven, yet to see actual _evidence_…" The goddess shook her head.

"That cousin of yours who knew her so well claimed she was one of Odin's before the god was brought down." Ninshubur pointed out. "It could merely be a coincidence."

"A coincidence or perhaps Urd takes more after her ancestors than any of us realize." Inanna said with a sigh. "Tiamat was said to hold hair of such a shade."

"Which is why you are said to hold it as well, as you are a direct descendent of her, as is the Almighty." Ninshubur reasoned. "Which in turn would make Urd a descendent as well."

Inanna closed her eyes and shook her head. "Yet that does not explain the Daimakaicho Hild." She whispered angrily. "The whole matter is-"

"Frustrating?"

Inanna sent her companion a look. "Confusing." She corrected.

Ninshubur nodded. "We'll have plenty of time to dwell on such thing later." She said, changing the subject. "Urd informed me that she lost her guardian before we found her."

"Which now makes me wonder what she was doing around my Huluppu tree to begin with." Inanna growled in frustration. "Did she give you a name? Children aren't supposed to be so close to Yggdrasil. Its well is directly connected to Nidhogg, and if a child was to find it and fall in…"

The goddess trailed off, sending a pointed glance to Ninshubur. "Well, let's be happy it didn't come to that this time." The darker goddess said. "The guardian's name is 'Cel'Stine', apparently. The deity is her sister's mentor."

A lazy smile worked its way onto Inanna's face, a hint of mischief dancing within her blue eyes. "Well I suppose we'll just have to give this man a call, won't we?"

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Thanks to everyone who took up the challenge in trying to identify who Yggdrasil was. You guys were close, better luck next time!_

_Also, to anyone who's read my other fanfic, Scapegoat; I've recently decided to make a fic-run with it in regards to Azazel. For those of you interested, look me up in fictionpress. I've got the same penname, so it shouldn't be too hard to find me. Hope you guys enjoyed the chappie!_


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